Abu Dhabi Travel Guide

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates — Travel Tips

Getting There By Air

Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH)
Tel: (02) 575 7500.
Website: www.abudhabiairport.ae

The airport is located 32km (20 miles) east of Abu Dhabi, and is currently undergoing a US$6.8 billion expansion project, which is scheduled for completion in 2010.

Airport facilities: These include ATMs, bureau de change, post office, 24-hour bank, tourist information desk, as well as snack bars, coffee shops and a restaurant. There is also a big duty-free shopping complex. Car hire is available, and there is a business center offering a full range of services, as well as a VIP lounge.

Transport to the city: The municipal bus service runs 24 hours a day; buses are green and white, air-conditioned and depart from outside Arrivals. Taxis are also available: Al Ghazal Transport (tel: (02) 444 9300) operates a fixed-rate service to the city center and to Dubai.

Getting There By Road

In recent years, significant improvements have been made to the road network in and around Abu Dhabi to improve traffic flow.
The three main roads leading into and out of the emirate (Khaleej Al Arabi, Sheikh Rashid Al Maktoum Street and Salam Street) merge into one main highway that links the city to the airport. There are few street names in Abu Dhabi, so make sure you know the closest landmark to your final destination.
Traffic drives on the right, with speed limits of 60kph (37mph) in towns and 80kph (49mph) to 100kph (62mph) elsewhere. These must be observed as penalties for speeding are severe and rigorously enforced. Speed cameras can be found on most major roads, and breaking the limit by more than 20kph (12mph) can result in a week in prison and the car being impounded for a month.
Under no circumstances should you leave the scene of a motor accident or move the vehicle before the police have arrived, as this is an offense. There is zero tolerance for drinking and driving in the UAE and road rage can also be punished with harsh penalties.

Emergency breakdown services
Arabian Automobile Association (tel: 800 4900).

Coach services
Buses run daily from Abu Dhabi to Dubai and Oman. There are also services between Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.

Getting There By Rail

There is currently no rail network in the UAE, and consequently no services to Abu Dhabi.

Getting Around in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Public Transport

The Abu Dhabi Municipality (tel: (02) 678 8888) operates a bus service that runs throughout the emirate. The main bus terminal is on East Road. Buses to Oman depart from the Madinat Zayed Shopping Center and those from Al-Ain depart from the station behind Al-Ain souk.

The Department of Transport have introduced the Ojra Bus Fare System (www.ojra.ae), with tickets ranging from one-day to monthly passes.

Taxis

The Department of Transport is working to phase out the city's characteristic gold and white taxis in favor of new fleets. Although the government's campaign has reduced the number of old taxis on the road, it hasn't eliminated them entirely. You can still hail one, but you'll either have to negotiate a price with the driver, or demand that he turn on his meter.

If, however, you wish to prebook a metered taxi, try Al Ghazal taxis (tel: (02) 444 7787) or National Taxi (tel: (02) 555 2212).

Car Hire

The main provider in Abu Dhabi is Avis (tel: (02) 6218400; www.avis.com), which has branches throughout the city, at the airport and at the major hotels. Other providers include Budget (tel: (02) 633 4200; www.budget.com) and Thrifty (tel: (02) 634 5663; www.thrifty.com). Chauffeur-driven car hire is also available.