Jebel Ali, Expo City and Dubai South
About 90 km, the first part of Dubai after the boundary. The Airport Express coach ends here, at Ibn Battuta bus station, and Al Maktoum International (DWC) is close by if your onward flight leaves from there.
Route · AUH · Dubai
Abu Dhabi airport to Dubai Terminal A to your door.
Flown into AUH but staying in Dubai? One private car from Terminal A to your Dubai address, timed to your actual arrival, with the whole run quoted before you pay.
Nothing is charged until you accept the quote.
Zayed International Airport (AUH) Dubai International Airport (DXB)
At a glance
What you get on the drive from AUH to Dubai
Zayed International Airport (AUH) is Etihad’s home base, and landing there does not mean staying in Abu Dhabi. The nearest Dubai districts, around Jebel Ali, are about 90 km away by road, and Deira and Dubai International up to about 135 km, almost all of it on the E11. Universal Airport Transfer books it as one private journey: a chauffeur named before pickup, your flight tracked, and a full quote, with any tolls on the route included or listed, before you pay anything.
- Your chauffeur waits 30 minutes from your flight’s actual arrival time.
- A full quote before you pay, usually within two hours, reflecting distance, vehicle class, add-ons and any late-night, public holiday or short-notice charges.
- Pay online by secure payment link or bank transfer, and your booking is confirmed once paid. Darb and Salik tolls on your route are either included in the quote or shown in it as an additional charge. Waiting beyond the included time may carry a charge.
- Changes and cancellations up to 48 hours before your flight under the standard policy, less any costs already incurred; a few airports and services differ.
- Three classes of service, each available as a sedan, SUV or van.
- About 90 km by road from the airport to the Jebel Ali end of Dubai and up to about 135 km to Deira and Dubai International, mostly on the E11.
- Every airline at AUH uses Terminal A, and there is no second passport check on the way into Dubai.
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Ways to get from Abu Dhabi airport to Dubai
Several ways out of AUH lead to Dubai. Which suits you depends on the airline you flew, how much you are carrying and which end of Dubai you are heading for.
| Option | Where it starts | When | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airport Express coach | A counter in the arrivals hall sells tickets | Every hour, on the hour, day and night | Goes only as far as Ibn Battuta bus station, near Jebel Ali, with 90 minutes on the timetable. Anywhere else in Dubai is a second journey from there. |
| Etihad Shuttle | Booked through Etihad, for an Etihad-operated flight | Several departures a day, booked at least 24 hours before the flight | Complimentary with an Etihad-operated flight. Its Dubai stop is Al Wasl Centre on Sheikh Zayed Road, about 75 minutes away by Etihad’s estimate. |
| Etihad Chauffeur | Arranged by Etihad for eligible tickets | Booked through Etihad at least 12 hours before the flight | Included with some Etihad tickets and some Etihad Guest tiers, to any address in the UAE. Look at your booking before paying for a car. |
| Ride-hailing app | The pick-up zone the app directs you to | Requested in the app after you clear customs | Careem and Uber are the apps the airport names, and it asks travellers to turn down unsolicited ride offers inside the terminal. |
| Etihad Rail | Mohammed Bin Zayed City station, not the airport | Five trains a day each way since 30 September 2026; at launch the last from Abu Dhabi reached Dubai at 6.47pm | Arrives at Al Yalayis station in Jumeirah Golf Estates, which a footbridge joins to the Metro. Getting from AUH to the station is a road journey of its own. |
| Pre-booked private transfer | At the kerb as standard, or inside arrivals with a name board if you add Meet and greet | Timed to your flight’s actual arrival | One car from Terminal A to your Dubai address, with a full quote before you pay and the vehicle chosen to fit passengers and bags. |
Coach and shuttle times and Etihad’s rules come from the airport’s and Etihad’s own pages as published in 2026, and the rail details from reports of the 30 September 2026 launch. Each operator can revise its timetable or rules, so recheck its own page shortly before your trip.
Price
What your quote depends on
Every journey is quoted on its own rather than sold from a price list, so the figure you receive is for your booking. These are the things that move it. Nothing is charged until you accept the quote. Tolls, where they apply, are either included in it or shown in it as an additional charge, and heavy traffic does not change the quoted price.
Which end of Dubai
The far side of Dubai, by the creek, is roughly 35 to 45 km further from the airport than the Jebel Ali end. Send the building and the community, not just the city, and the quote follows the real distance.
Darb and Salik on the way
Since 4 May 2026 the E11 has carried a Darb gate at Ghantoot, near the Dubai boundary, operating at all hours; inside Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road has Salik gates whose charge varies with the time of day. Any gate your route passes is accounted for in the quote, either inside the total or listed as an extra.
When your flight arrives
Arriving on a night flight, on a public holiday, or booking with little notice can bring a late-night, holiday or short-notice charge. If one applies, you see it in the quote before paying.
Passengers, bags and vehicle
Whichever class you choose, the vehicle type follows your party and luggage. As a guide, a sedan takes about one to three passengers with two or three bags, and a van about five to seven with six to eight bags, confirmed with the quote.
The journey
From Terminal A to a Dubai address
Everything at AUH happens in one building, and everything after it is one long road north-east. This is how the run usually unfolds, from the aircraft door to the kerb in Dubai.
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01
Before you land
The flight is tracked live, and the pickup shifts if it runs early or late. Before pickup you receive your chauffeur’s name and contact details, by WhatsApp if you have been in touch with the desk there, otherwise by email.
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02
Passport control and bags
Whoever you flew with, you follow the same route through immigration, the baggage hall and customs. Whether you need a visa arranged before you travel depends on your passport, so check the UAE’s official portal, u.ae, before you fly. The waiting time counts from the flight’s actual arrival, so a slow queue uses some of it.
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03
Meeting your chauffeur
The booking desk confirms where you meet. As standard your chauffeur waits at the kerb; with Meet and greet, which is included with every First Class booking, you are met inside the arrivals hall with a name board. Delayed in a queue? Send the desk a message: a no-show means both missing the meeting point within the waiting time and being unreachable, so keep your phone switched on.
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04
Out of Abu Dhabi
The airport is on the mainland, so the car never crosses the bridges onto Abu Dhabi island, where the city’s original Darb gates stand. It joins the E11, which in this emirate is Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Street, and follows it for about 60 km to Ghantoot and the Dubai boundary. A Darb gate has operated at Ghantoot since 4 May 2026.
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05
Into Dubai
Over the boundary the same road becomes Sheikh Zayed Road. Its first Salik gate, Jebel Ali, near Energy Metro Station, comes before the Marina exits; Downtown and the creek lie further on, past the Al Barsha and Al Safa gates, and the journey ends at the address you gave.
Distance, time, roads and borders
Distance
Measured by road from the airport: about 90 km to Jebel Ali and Expo City, 95 to Dubai Marina and JBR, 115 to Downtown, and 125 to 135 to Deira and the DXB terminals.
Time
Commonly about 60 to 75 minutes to the Jebel Ali and Marina side, and commonly about 85 to 105 minutes across the city to Deira and DXB. Weekday rush hours on Sheikh Zayed Road add the most.
Two roads
The E11 runs nearer the coast and is the usual route. The E311, called Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Street in Abu Dhabi and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road in Dubai, runs further inland; it was extended to Abu Dhabi in 2016 as an alternative, and Abu Dhabi’s transport authority names it as the way round the Ghantoot gate.
No border
Abu Dhabi and Dubai are two of the seven emirates of one country. You enter the UAE once, at AUH, and there is no immigration point on the road between them.
Many Dubai addresses are a tower inside a larger community, or a villa inside a gated one. Send the building or villa, the community and a map pin with your request, so the quote is built on the exact place rather than the city name.
Where you are going
How far each part of Dubai is from AUH
Coming from Abu Dhabi, you reach Dubai at its south-western end and drive up through the city towards the creek, so the nearest districts are the newer ones around Jebel Ali and the Marina. The road distances below are measured from the airport and rounded.
Dubai Marina, JBR and Bluewaters
About 95 km. Sheikh Zayed Road’s Jebel Ali Salik gate comes shortly before the Marina exits. Many addresses here are towers, so send the building name as well as the street.
Al Barsha and Palm Jumeirah
About 100 km to Al Barsha, around Mall of the Emirates, and to the shore end of the Palm. Out on the crescent, where Atlantis stands, it is nearer 105 km, so name the hotel or residence.
Downtown, Business Bay and DIFC
About 115 km, carrying on past the Al Barsha and Al Safa Salik gates. Sheikh Zayed Road through the city is slowest in the weekday morning and evening rush, so an arrival late in the afternoon can take noticeably longer.
Deira, Garhoud and the DXB hotels
About 125 to 135 km, on the far side of the city by the creek and Dubai International. It is the longest version of this run and crosses the whole of Dubai, so say if you need to be there by a set time.
AUH
Zayed International Airport (AUH)
Abu Dhabi’s main airport, and the hub of Etihad Airways, sits about 30 km east of the city. It was called Abu Dhabi International until 9 February 2024, so older tickets and apps may still show that name; the code is AUH either way. For the drive to Dubai, include your flight number when you ask for a quote: the price depends on it, and the pickup follows that flight.
Terminals Just one, Terminal A. Etihad operated the first flight from it on 31 October 2023, and from 14 November 2023 every airline at AUH used it.
More about transfers at Zayed International Airport
Get an AUH quoteDXB
Dubai International Airport (DXB)
Is your next flight from DXB, on a ticket of its own? Then nothing is checked through between the two airports. You clear UAE immigration at Terminal A, so you must be eligible to enter the country, then collect your bags and check in afresh at Dubai International, roughly 125 to 135 km away depending on the terminal. Request it as terminal to terminal and give the desk both flights, so it can watch your onward departure and protect the connection.
More about transfers at Dubai International Airport
Get a DXB quoteServices
Journeys between Zayed International and Dubai
Arrival
From Zayed International to your hotel, home or office in Dubai. Your flight is tracked and the 30-minute wait runs from its actual arrival time.
Departure
From your Dubai address to Zayed International, booked ahead with a named chauffeur.
Terminal to terminal
Zayed International to DXB or DWC, for a connection on a separate ticket that leaves from Dubai.
Hourly chauffeur
A car and chauffeur for a block of hours, starting or ending at the airport.
Point to point
Between any two addresses, with no airport involved.
How it works
How to book a car from Abu Dhabi airport to Dubai
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Send a request
Your flight number, the Dubai address, passengers and bags, using the form below.
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Receive a full quote
Usually within two hours, with any late-night, public holiday or short-notice charges shown. Nothing is charged until you accept it.
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Pay online
By secure payment link or bank transfer. Card details never reach this website.
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Booking confirmed
Confirmed once paid, and the booking desk shares your voucher.
Questions
Questions about Abu Dhabi airport to Dubai
What are my options from Abu Dhabi airport to Dubai?
By road, almost always on the E11. From the terminal there is the airport’s hourly Airport Express coach to Ibn Battuta bus station, Etihad’s complimentary shuttle to Sheikh Zayed Road if you flew on an Etihad-operated flight and booked it ahead, and Careem or Uber from the designated pick-up zone. Etihad Rail now runs between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, but from Mohammed Bin Zayed City station rather than the airport. A pre-booked private transfer takes you and your bags from Terminal A straight to your Dubai address.
How far is Abu Dhabi airport from Dubai Marina and Downtown?
By road, about 95 km to Dubai Marina and JBR and about 115 km to Downtown and Business Bay. The nearest part of Dubai, around Jebel Ali, is about 90 km from the airport, while Deira and Dubai International are about 125 to 135 km away.
How long is the drive from Abu Dhabi airport to Dubai?
Commonly about 60 to 75 minutes to Jebel Ali, the Marina or JBR, and about 85 to 105 minutes to Deira and Dubai International, depending on traffic. The weekday rush on Sheikh Zayed Road adds the most time, though a slow run leaves the quoted price as it is.
Is there a bus from Abu Dhabi airport to Dubai?
Yes. The Airport Express coach leaves every hour, on the hour and through the night, for Ibn Battuta bus station near Jebel Ali, and you pay for it at its own counter in the arrivals hall. If you flew on an Etihad-operated flight, Etihad Shuttle costs nothing, but you must reserve a seat at etihad.com/manage at least 24 hours before the flight, and it stops at Al Wasl Centre on Sheikh Zayed Road. Neither one takes you to your own address.
Can I take a taxi from Abu Dhabi airport to Dubai?
The official airport taxis run around the clock on the meter, and you settle the fare in cash or by card at your destination. The airport describes them as serving destinations within Abu Dhabi, though, so confirm before you set off that the taxi will take you as far as Dubai. A pre-booked car comes with a quote you accept before paying, and it is timed to your flight.
How do I get from Abu Dhabi airport to Dubai airport (DXB)?
By road, commonly about 85 to 105 minutes from Terminal A to the DXB terminals, depending on traffic across Dubai. Neither the Airport Express, which ends at Ibn Battuta, nor Etihad Shuttle, which stops at Al Wasl Centre, goes to DXB. On separate tickets you enter the UAE at AUH, reclaim your bags there and check in again at Dubai International. Book it as terminal to terminal with both flight numbers: the arriving flight sets the pickup, and the desk watches the onward departure.
Does Etihad Rail go from Abu Dhabi airport to Dubai?
Not from the airport. Passenger trains between Abu Dhabi and Dubai began on 30 September 2026, running between Mohammed Bin Zayed City station in Abu Dhabi and Al Yalayis station in Dubai’s Jumeirah Golf Estates, which a footbridge links to the Metro. From AUH you would first need a road journey to the station, and another from Al Yalayis to your address unless you are staying near the Metro.
Are there tolls between Abu Dhabi airport and Dubai?
Usually, yes. Abu Dhabi’s Ghantoot Darb gate on the E11 near the Dubai boundary has operated around the clock since 4 May 2026, and inside Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road has Salik gates at Jebel Ali, Al Barsha and Al Safa. If your route passes a gate, the quote either covers that toll or lists it as an additional charge, so it is visible before you pay.
I am flying Etihad. Is a car already included with my ticket?
It might be. On Etihad-operated flights, Etihad includes its own chauffeur service, to any address in the UAE, with some tickets and some Etihad Guest tiers, and it has to be booked through Etihad at least 12 hours before the flight. Check your booking at etihad.com/manage first. If your ticket does not include it, or you are flying with another airline, send us a request for a quote.
Do I go through passport control again when I reach Dubai?
No. You enter the UAE once, at Zayed International, and Abu Dhabi and Dubai are emirates of the same country, so the drive crosses no border. Whether you need a visa to enter the UAE depends on your passport, and the official portal, u.ae, sets out the options.
How early should I leave Dubai for Abu Dhabi airport?
Work back from your airline’s check-in cut-off at Terminal A. Book it as an airport departure and the pickup time in Dubai is set from that cut-off, with the drive and traffic built in, so a pickup in Deira comes earlier than one in the Marina for the same flight. A hotel or home pickup includes 15 minutes of waiting from the scheduled pickup time. Flying to the United States? Etihad’s own page has shown its US preclearance facility at AUH as temporarily closed during 2026, so check there for the current arrangement and your check-in time, and tell the desk it is a US flight.
How much is a private car from Abu Dhabi airport to Dubai?
Each journey is quoted on its own, because Deira lies roughly 35 to 45 km further from the airport than Jebel Ali and the tolls depend on the route. The quote normally reaches you within two hours, any late-night, public holiday or short-notice charge is written into it, and you pay only once you accept.
Waiting time, changes, cancellations and refunds are set out in full in our Terms & Conditions.
Request a transfer
Tell us the flight. We hold the car.
Under five minutes to complete. We come back with a full quote, usually within two hours. Nothing is charged until you accept the quote.