The United Arab Emirates are mostly known for Abu Dhabi and Dubai which ranked among the top 3 places with most international arrivals in 2023. Traveling to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) – and especially Dubai – on a backpacker budget is quite challenging but using public transport will help you save money.
This list provides you with 3 helpful and practical tips about traveling and taking the public transport in the UAE. All infos based on our personal experience. 😉
1. Public transport in the United Arab Emirates
Public transport in Dubai
The public transport in Dubai is a real budget saver and offers good connections to the most important places of interest. The public transport card for Dubai is called Nol and can be purchased at any metro station. A new card costs 25 AED (~6€) and includes 19 AED credit on the card. The Nol card cannot be shared between more people because everybody must check in and check out when entering and leaving. The price for a ride with the Dubai public transport depends on the distance and is between 3 – 7 AED.
For women: there is a separate section for women and kids in the metro!
Public transport in Abu Dhabi
The transportation card for Abu Dhabi is called Hafilat and works similar. There is a temporary Hafilat card which is valid for 30 days. The card itself is free, you just need to top up money. The system of checking in and out is the same. The price for a ride starts from 2 AED.
Important for the public transport in both cities: Don’t forget to check out in trams and busses as well as ticket inspectors are common. You need to tap your card on the machine before alighting the vehicle.
2. Bus from Dubai to Abu Dhabi and Abu Dhabi to Dubai
The cheapest option to go from Dubai to Abu Dhabi and vice versa is by taking a local bus. Going from Dubai to Abu Dhabi you can use the Dubai Nol card to pay. Bus E100 is leaving from Al Ghubaiba Bus Station (North of the city) to Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station and will take around 3 hours. Bus E101 leaves from Ibn Battuta Bus Station (South of the city) to Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station and will take around 1,5 hours. These busses go every 15-20 min from early morning to late evening and cost 25 AED (~6€).
We learnt that there is also the bus E102 which leaves from Ibn Battuta Bus Station to Mussafah Shabiya Bus Station in Abu Dhabi and stops at the airport in Abu Dhabi. This bus will leave every hour.
Note that the timings might change on Fridays and Saturdays.
3. Exit fee when leaving the UAE by bus to Oman
Be aware that you must pay a exit fee if you travel from Dubai to Oman (Muscat) by bus. In April 2024 it was 35 AED (~9€). If you’re using the bus company Al Khanjry (which at the time of our visit was the only company offering connections between Dubai and Muscat) you will have to pay this amount upon purchase of your ticket in the office.
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