Imagine heading to The Dubai Mall and facing no parking woes or taxi queues. Better yet, envision listening to your favourite podcast, suitcase in tow, going from Dubai Marina to Terminal 3 for only Dh7.50.
There are plenty of alternatives to driving your own car or hopping into a taxi that can lessen the environmental impact. You can move across the Emirates conveniently using several forms of public transport, with cost being one of the biggest benefits. Here's a guide to what’s on offer in addition to taxis.
Dubai International Airport
Travelling to and from any airport is often a trek, so preparing accordingly and avoiding any stress is welcome. Travellers passing through Dubai International Airport can get the Dubai Metro directly for Terminal 1 and 3 on the Red Line.
Tourists can also ride the metro to The Dubai Mall for some preflight shopping and dining, as the concierge at the mall has partnered with Dubz, a service that allows passengers to store luggage or check in for their flight from home and have their bags sent to the airport. Storage starts from Dh50 per bag, while checking one in is Dh150.
While the metro is the most convenient mode of public transport for visitors or those unfamiliar with the extensive bus network, should you miss the train, bus line C01 runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and stops at terminals 1 and 3 connecting to major city bus stations. A single journey is no more than Dh7.50.
Abu Dhabi International Airport
In the capital, city buses stop at all three Abu Dhabi International Airport terminals connecting directly to the city for Dh4 each way. The bus into the city is operational 24 hours a day and runs every 40 minutes, with access to all major bus stations.
If you’re transferring to or from Dubai, the new Abu Dhabi Express shuttle service costs Dh35 and runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, between Abu Dhabi Airport and Ibn Battuta Bus Station, with a shuttle making the trip every hour.
Between Dubai and Abu Dhabi
The RTA in Dubai has a bus line that runs between the two emirates every 20 minutes throughout the day. You can catch the E100 from Al Ghubaiba Bus Station in Dubai, which will get you to the capital in two hours and 15 minutes; or the E101 from Ibn Battuta Bus Station, which takes an hour and 40 minutes. Both bus stations directly connect to the Dubai Metro. Tickets cost Dh25 and you’ll be transported to Abu Dhabi Central Bus station next to Al Wahda Mall.
Within Dubai
One of the easiest ways to navigate the emirate via public transport is using the Dubai Metro. The Red and Green lines run from Al Qusais to the newly reopened Expo 2020 city.
With 64 stations, travellers can connect directly to places such as the Dubai International Airport, Mall of Emirates and The Dubai Mall, to name but a few, as well as to tram lines, bus stations and ferry docks.
Dubai is split into seven zones and travelling through a single one costs Dh4. If you transfer to a bus or tram within the same journey, it is included in that rate. To ride the metro, tram, bus or ferry, simply purchase a Nol card at any metro station. These come as one-time red Nol tickets or reusable cards.
Dubai resident Tiakala Sangtam, who uses Dubai’s metro and bus lines daily, says: “It is convenient, clean and most of all safe. The S’hail application makes planning your journey simple and with the Nol cards, transferring from metro to tram or bus is all done with a single tap.” Sangtam estimates that her transport costs are no more than Dh200 a month, and loves that she doesn’t need to worry about traffic jams during rush hour.
For the rare stops not covered by the Dubai Metro, there's the 1,500-strong bus fleet. Timetables, maps and Nol card balances can all be found on the RTA/S’hail app. Occupational health and wellness coach Sana Basharat, who uses the bus to travel to Sharjah for work, estimates her transport costs, including daily use of the metro, are Dh500 a month.
DMCC and Sobha Realty Metro stations also connect directly to the city’s Tram Line, which stretches through Dubai Marina and has 11 stations connecting JBR, Dubai Marina, Al Sufouh and the Palm Jumeirah Monorail.
The Monorail is exclusive to Palm Jumeirah, carrying passengers through the island’s five stations from Palm Gateway, at the Golden Mile Galleria shopping mall to Atlantis Aquaventure water park.
In Dubai Marina, hop on the water bus using your Nol card to get around different stations in the area. Or, travel through the marina on the Dubai Ferry, which carries about 100 passengers via scenic routes around Palm Jumeirah, past Burj Al Arab and all the way to the Dubai Canal and Dubai Creek.
For inner city transport, Careem bikes and Lime scooters are a convenient alternative to the buses and metro. The bikes can be easily found in most pedestrian areas and outside bus and metro stations. Simply download the apps on your phone, scan the QR code, jump on and the app will clock your time. Careem bikes have daily (Dh20), weekly (Dh50) and monthly (Dh75) plans, whereas Lime scooters cost Dh35 an hour or Dh45 a day.
Within Abu Dhabi
Moving around Abu Dhabi is just as efficient and affordable. The Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station provides more than 500 buses locally and regionally across 124 routes. The inner-city lines offer direct access to every corner of the capital 24 hours a day for a mere Dh2 for a single journey.
Local lines cover inner-city transport and connect residential communities such as Al Amerah, Al Bahya, Rabdan and Shakhbout City, whereas the regional lines connect to districts such as Al Zahiyah, Al Reef and Saadiyat Island.
To get to Al Ain, passengers can take the X90 line from Abu Dhabi Central Station to Al Ain City Central Station. The journey takes two hours and 35 minutes, with a bus leaving the capital every hour from 6.45am. The last bus departs at 10.45pm. Access to Sharjah, Dubai, Al Ain, Liwa and Al Ruwais are all available from the main bus station, too.
Timetables and maps can be found on the Darbi app. Riders need to use the Hafilat travel smartcard that, like Dubai's Nol card, automatically deducts the fare upon being scanned. Cards can be bought and topped up at a number of ticket vending machines spread across the city, most notably at all Lulu Hypermarket branches in Abu Dhabi city, Al Ain city and the Dhafra region, as well as at hafilat.darb.ae.
Buses are free for senior citizens and people of determination, who get a special version of the Halifat smart card. This costs Dh5 and is valid for five years.
Bus numbers that are prefixed with an "A" move to and from Abu Dhabi International Airport. Those prefixed with an "M" are minibuses, while an "X" before the bus number represents the express lines. Last year, Abu Dhabi implemented a number of air-conditioned bus stops across the emirate, as well as free Wi-Fi on all vehicles.
Local buses aside, tourists can hop on to the Visit Abu Dhabi Shuttle bus network, which offers free transport around the city’s sights upon checking into their hotels.
Lime scooters and Careem bikes are the best option for inner-city transport, and can be found in most areas, including along the Corniche.
If you want to enjoy a day on the water, ride the ferry that sails to Delma Island from Jabal Al Dhanna port or to Al Aliah Island from Saadiyat Island for Dh20.
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
MATCH INFO
Euro 2020 qualifier
Fixture: Liechtenstein v Italy, Tuesday, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match is shown on BeIN Sports
Other must-tries
Tomato and walnut salad
A lesson in simple, seasonal eating. Wedges of tomato, chunks of cucumber, thinly sliced red onion, coriander or parsley leaves, and perhaps some fresh dill are drizzled with a crushed walnut and garlic dressing. Do consider yourself warned: if you eat this salad in Georgia during the summer months, the tomatoes will be so ripe and flavourful that every tomato you eat from that day forth will taste lacklustre in comparison.
Badrijani nigvzit
A delicious vegetarian snack or starter. It consists of thinly sliced, fried then cooled aubergine smothered with a thick and creamy walnut sauce and folded or rolled. Take note, even though it seems like you should be able to pick these morsels up with your hands, they’re not as durable as they look. A knife and fork is the way to go.
Pkhali
This healthy little dish (a nice antidote to the khachapuri) is usually made with steamed then chopped cabbage, spinach, beetroot or green beans, combined with walnuts, garlic and herbs to make a vegetable pâté or paste. The mix is then often formed into rounds, chilled in the fridge and topped with pomegranate seeds before being served.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
The UAE squad for the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games
The jiu-jitsu men’s team: Faisal Al Ketbi, Zayed Al Kaabi, Yahia Al Hammadi, Taleb Al Kirbi, Obaid Al Nuaimi, Omar Al Fadhli, Zayed Al Mansoori, Saeed Al Mazroui, Ibrahim Al Hosani, Mohammed Al Qubaisi, Salem Al Suwaidi, Khalfan Belhol, Saood Al Hammadi.
Women’s team: Mouza Al Shamsi, Wadeema Al Yafei, Reem Al Hashmi, Mahra Al Hanaei, Bashayer Al Matrooshi, Hessa Thani, Salwa Al Ali.
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Scores in brief:
Boost Defenders 205-5 in 20 overs
(Colin Ingram 84 not out, Cameron Delport 36, William Somerville 2-28)
bt Auckland Aces 170 for 5 in 20 overs
(Rob O’Donnell 67 not out, Kyle Abbott 3-21).
UAE Premiership
Results
Dubai Exiles 24-28 Jebel Ali Dragons
Abu Dhabi Harlequins 43-27 Dubai Hurricanes
Final
Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Jebel Ali Dragons, Friday, March 29, 5pm at The Sevens, Dubai
