Dubai Travel Guide

Dubai, United Arab Emirates — Travel Tips

Getting There By Air

Airlines flying to Dubai from the UK include British Airways, Emirates, Virgin Atlantic, bmi and KLM.

Dubai International Airport (DXB)
Tel: (04) 224 5555.
Website: www.dubaiairport.com

Dubai International Airport, located 5km (3 miles) southeast of the city center, is the busiest airport in the Middle East. A new terminal, exclusively used by Emirates, opened in 2008 with its own check-in, lounges and hotel. Plans are well underway for a second five-runway mega airport near Jebel Ali, the Al Maktoum International Airport.

Airport facilities
These include a five-style hotel, ATM, bureau de change, post office, medical center, cafés, restaurants, gym, health spa, executive lounges, two business centers, left luggage, duty-free shops and car hire from Avis, Budget, Fast Rent a Car and Hertz.

Transport to the city
Dubai Municipality (tel: 800 900; www.dm.gov.ae) provides airport buses, with air conditioning and extra luggage space. They leave for Al Subkha (bus 401) and Al Ghubaiba (bus 402) bus stations regularly throughout the day (journey time - 20 minutes). From the bus stations there are regular transfers to all parts of the city. Prepaid airport taxis must be booked in the arrival hall. These charge a fixed rate for destinations in the city center (journey time - 10 minutes). Otherwise, Dubai Transport taxis are available outside the arrivals terminal, with a hefty initial charge.

Approximate flight times to Dubai
From London, 7 hours 45 minutes; from New York, 14 hours 50 minutes and from Los Angeles, 19 hours 55 minutes; from Toronto, 14 hours 10 minutes and from Sydney, 16 hours 15 minutes.

Getting There By Road

The United Arab Emirates boasts an impressive network of first-class roads that connect major towns and villages, including a multi-lane highway between Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Driving in the UAE is on the right-hand side. Speed limits are clearly displayed on road signs and are usually 60-80kph (37-50mph) around town and 100-120kph (62-74mph) elsewhere. Certain minor traffic offenses incur on-the-spot fines. The police must be called to any road traffic accident (no matter how minor) and those involved in the accident must remain at the scene with their vehicles. A valid International Driving Permit, a valid national license and a passport are required to drive in Dubai. Visitors from many European, North American and Pan-Asian countries can obtain a temporary local driving license if they do not have an international license - a valid national license, passport and two passport-size photographs are required for applicants to obtain this. Drivers must be over 18 years old. Third party insurance is compulsory. Arabian Automobile Association (tel: (04) 266 9989; www.aaauae.com) can provide further information.

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

Routes to the city
The main Emirate Route Numbers into Dubai are 77 from Jebel Ali, 88 from Sharjah, 44 from Wajajah, 66 from Al-Ain and 11 from Abu Dhabi.

Driving times to the city
From Al-Ain - 1 hour 15 minutes; Abu Dhabi - 1 hour 30 minutes; Muscat - 4 hours.

Coach services
Buses for Muscat (capital of Oman) depart from the car park at the Airline Center, Al-Maktoum Road, Deira (tel: (04) 203 3923). Tickets can be purchased from the driver or the Airline Center. The Gold Souk Bus Station, off Al-Khor Street, and Al-Ghubaiba Bus Station, Al-Ghubaiba Road, are the main departure points for local and intercity services. Dubai Municipality (tel: 800 900; www.dm.gov.ae) can provide further information. There are also buses from Dubai to Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. Dubai Transport Corporation (tel: (04) 264 1111; www.dubaitransport.gov.ae) operates minibus services to the main cities of the UAE, but it is only possible for travelers to catch these once they are out of Dubai city.

Getting There By Rail

There are currently no railways serving Dubai.

Getting Around in Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Public Transport

Dubai Municipality (tel: (04) 221 5555 or 800 900; www.dm.gov.ae) operates a reasonable public bus service on over 50 routes. Fares depend on destination and are paid to the driver upon boarding; it is useful for travelers to have the exact change ready.

'Period Passes' are useful for those staying more than a week in Dubai, allowing cheaper bus travel on a smart card. Passes, timetables and bus maps are available from the bus stations in Deira and Bur Dubai. Routes and bus numbers are posted in both Arabic and English.

The new Ferry Dubai, which is operated by the Roads and Transport Authority, sails in the Dubai Creek and links Jumeirah Beach, Dubai Marina and the major waterfront developments. Each journey lasts around one hour and tickets can be purchased on board. Simple wooden boats, locally referred to as abras, cross the creek from Bur Dubai to the Al-Sabkha Station. These are operated by Dubai Municipality (journey time - 5 minutes) and are a good-value, enjoyable and useful way of avoiding a traffic-constricted road journey. Air-conditioned Dubai Waterbus (tel: 800 9090; www.rta.ae) also run across the creek but charge four times as much.

A 300km (186-mile) metro system (http://dubaimetro.eu) has now opened. The Red Line runs from Rashidiya Station to Jebel Ali Station. The other lines are still under construction but once opened, they will run from the Dubai Airport Free Zone to Dubai Health Care City (Green Line), between the existing airport and the planned airport at Jebel Ali (Purple Line), and from Emirates Road to the airports (Blue Line).

Taxis

Air-conditioned taxis can be hailed on the street or pre-booked by telephone. The Dubai Taxi Corporation (tel: (04) 264 1111) operates metered taxis. Occasionally, drivers do not have detailed knowledge of the city and might ask passengers for directions. Fixed fares are applied to journeys outside the city boundaries. It is also possible to hire a taxi for half a day or a full day for sightseeing. Tipping is not expected.

Driving in the City

Dubai has an excellent and well-signposted road network. Unfortunately, driving standards do not match the quality of the roads. Many local drivers travel at speed, change lanes with wild abandon and make sudden and dangerous maneuvers. Accidents occur frequently and visitors are advised to drive defensively.

Traffic congestion is also a problem, particularly in Deira and along Jumeirah Beach. An expanded toll road network is planned to help alleviate the problem. Drivers should note that there is an exit tax on leaving the UAE.

Two centrally located covered car parks are situated near the Spice Souk and Bani Yas Square in Deira.

Car Hire

A valid International Driving Permit, passport and credit card are required to hire a car in Dubai. Fully comprehensive insurance is essential. Drivers must be at least 21 years old, although the age limit is often raised to 25 years for more expensive models. Payment must be made by credit card.

Major providers include Avis (tel: (04) 224 5219; www.avis.com), Budget (tel: (04) 295 2722; www.budget-uae.com) and Fast Rent a Car (tel: (04) 224 5040; www.fastuae.com).