From Dubai Airport to Abu Dhabi, Etihad Rail takes about 57 minutes from AED 39, bus E101 costs AED 25 and takes about 2 hours, and a taxi is the only door-to-door choice. Passenger trains have run between Dubai and Abu Dhabi since 30 September 2026, but the Dubai station is far from both airport terminals. This guide gives the fares, the first and last trains, the Metro link to the station, the bus steps and how to price a taxi.
By SB Excursions · Published 3 November 2026 · Updated 3 November 2026
Tour on this route: Abu Dhabi City Tour from Dubai — From $45 per person, 9 hours.
How much is a taxi from Dubai Airport to Abu Dhabi?
Dubai Taxi lists a start fare of AED 20 at the airport (AED 25 for a van) and AED 2.62 per km, so a trip of about 140 km is roughly AED 387 before tolls and waiting. Our Dubai to Abu Dhabi guide quotes AED 250-350 from central Dubai. Check the price in a ride app before you set off.
This guide also answers:
- Is there a train from Dubai Airport to Abu Dhabi?
- Is there a bus from Dubai Airport to Abu Dhabi?
- How long does it take to get from Dubai Airport to Abu Dhabi?
Five ways to get from Dubai Airport to Abu Dhabi
#1
Taxi or app car from DXB
The only door-to-door option. Dubai Taxi lists a start fare of AED 20 at the airport and AED 2.62 per km, so a trip of about 140 km comes to roughly AED 387 before tolls and waiting. Earlier guides, ours included, quoted AED 250-350 from central Dubai, so ask a ride app for a fixed price before you decide.
#2
Red Line Metro, then Etihad Rail
Khaleej Times reports a transfer bridge of about 1,000 metres from Jumeirah Golf Estates Metro station to Al Yalayis Station. The train takes about 57 minutes to Mohammed Bin Zayed City Station in Abu Dhabi, with Comfort from AED 39 and Premium from AED 109. The first Dubai departure is 6:14 AM and the last is around 6 PM.
#3
Bus E101 from Ibn Battuta
Abu Dhabi Mobility lists the E100, E101 and E102 intercity routes to Dubai at AED 25. The E101 starts at Ibn Battuta Bus Station on the Red Line and reaches Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station in about 2 hours. From there you still need a taxi to your hotel, so the day is long and the saving is small for a group.
#4
Bus E100 from Al Ghubaiba
The E100 follows the same road and the same AED 25 fare as the E101 but leaves from Al Ghubaiba, next to the Green Line and the abra stations on the Creek. From the airport you ride the Red Line, change to the Green Line and walk to the bus bay. Check live times in the S'hail app before you leave the terminal.
#5
A guided day tour from your hotel
If you only want to see the city, you do not need an airport transfer at all. Our Abu Dhabi city tour collects you at your Dubai hotel, visits the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the BAPS Mandir, the Corniche and Heritage Village, and brings you back in the evening. It costs from $45 per person shared, with no prepayment.
Dubai Airport to Abu Dhabi: the short answer
The fastest public option is Etihad Rail, about 57 minutes from Al Yalayis Station, with Comfort from AED 39; the cheapest is bus E101, AED 25 and about 2 hours; the easiest is a taxi. Etihad Rail started carrying passengers between Dubai and Abu Dhabi on 30 September 2026. The problem is that Al Yalayis Station is in Jumeirah Golf Estates in the south of Dubai, far from the airport, so you reach it on the Red Line Metro. Our Etihad Rail guide has the full fare table.
Neither the train nor the bus ends in the middle of Abu Dhabi. The train stops at Mohammed Bin Zayed City Station, opposite Dalma Mall, according to Visit Abu Dhabi, and the bus stops at Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station. You need a taxi at the other end in both cases.
The options compared
Prices and timetables change, so check the live figures in the Etihad Rail app, the S'hail app or a ride app. The sources are Etihad Rail reports in Khaleej Times and Gulf News, Visit Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Mobility, Dubai Taxi, Dubai Airports and Air Arabia.
| Option | Time | Cost | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taxi or app car | About 1.5-2 hours | Meter or app price; see the fare section | Door to door, any hour |
| Metro, then Etihad Rail | Metro ride, a 1,000 m bridge, then about 57 minutes on the train | Metro fare + Comfort from AED 39, Premium from AED 109 | First Dubai train 6:14 AM; then a taxi in Abu Dhabi |
| Metro, then bus E101 | Metro ride, then about 2 hours | Metro fare + AED 25 | Every 20-30 minutes by day; ends at Abu Dhabi Central |
| Metro, then bus E100 | Metro, Green Line, then about 2 hours | Metro fare + AED 25 | Starts at Al Ghubaiba in Bur Dubai |
| Air Arabia shuttle | About 1 hour 30 minutes | AED 35 | Ibn Battuta Mall to Abu Dhabi airport only, every hour from 00:00 to 23:00 |
The Red Line has stations in Terminals 1 and 3 but not in Terminal 2, as our airport terminals guide explains. From Terminal 2, a taxi or an app is the simple start. The Metro fare is AED 3-7.5 a trip; the Dubai Metro guide has the stations.
Taxi: how to price the trip
Dubai Taxi's airport page lists a start fare of AED 20 for a normal taxi (AED 25 for a van), AED 2.62 per km, 50 fils per minute of waiting and extra charges at Salik toll gates. Dubai Airports' own page gives AED 25 as the starting fare. On the Dubai Taxi rate, every 100 km on the meter adds AED 262. For a trip of about 140 km that is AED 366.80 for distance plus the AED 20 start fare, or roughly AED 387 before tolls and waiting.
Our Dubai to Abu Dhabi guide quotes AED 250-350 for a taxi from central Dubai. The two figures do not match, and DXB is on the far side of the city from the Abu Dhabi highway, so treat both as estimates. Dubai Airports lists Uber, Careem and Bolt at the airport, and an app shows a price before you set off, which is the better way to settle the fare. Our taxi and Careem guide explains how the apps work.
- Dubai Taxi says it picks up passengers only inside Dubai, although it can take you anywhere in the UAE. For the return, use an Abu Dhabi taxi or an app.
- A taxi is the best choice for three or four people sharing the fare, for suitcases and for a flight that lands after dark.
- Check the price in the app, or agree it with the driver before you leave the rank.
Etihad Rail from the airport, step by step
Etihad Rail runs between Al Yalayis Station in Dubai and Mohammed Bin Zayed City Station in Abu Dhabi. Visit Abu Dhabi gives the journey as 57 minutes, and Gulf News and Khaleej Times show timetable windows of about 64 minutes, so plan on an hour. At launch both papers listed five direct trains a day in each direction.
The reported times are in the table. They are the launch schedule from late September, so check the Etihad Rail website or app before you plan around them.
- 1. Book first. Tickets are sold on the Etihad Rail website, in the app and at station machines, and Visit Abu Dhabi says you can book up to four weeks ahead. Comfort fares start at AED 39 and Premium at AED 109, and Gulf News says the final price depends on the fare type and availability.
- 2. Ride the Red Line to Jumeirah Golf Estates. Khaleej Times says the Metro station is about 1,000 metres from Al Yalayis Station, linked by a transfer bridge. The station is in the south of Dubai, so this is a long ride; use the RTA journey planner for the time from your terminal.
- 3. Or take a taxi. Khaleej Times and Gulf News say Uber, Careem and Hala Taxi serve Al Yalayis, with dedicated pickup and drop-off areas. Parking at the station costs AED 30.
- 4. Ride to Abu Dhabi. Comfort includes luggage space, according to Gulf News, but no size limits were published, so travel light.
- 5. Arrive at Mohammed Bin Zayed City Station. It is on the mainland, not on Abu Dhabi island. Take a taxi to your hotel or to the Grand Mosque.
| Direction | First train | Last train | Fares |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai to Abu Dhabi | 6:14 AM | About 6 PM (Gulf News lists 5:14 PM or 6:14 PM) | Comfort from AED 39, Premium from AED 109 |
| Abu Dhabi to Dubai | 6:43 AM | 5:43 PM | Same fare structure |
Here is how a Terminal 1 or 3 arrival reaches the train:
Bus E101 and E100, step by step
The buses are the cheapest and the slowest. Abu Dhabi Mobility lists the fare to Dubai at AED 25 for the E100, E101 and E102, and Khaleej Times names the Dubai start points: Al Ghubaiba for the E100 and Ibn Battuta for the E101, both ending at Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station. Our Dubai guides put the ride at about 2 hours with a bus every 20-30 minutes. Gulf News says Dubai buses run from 4 AM to 1 AM.
- 1. Get a Nol card. Dubai Airports says buses accept only Nol cards, sold at airport terminals and Metro stations. Load AED 25 for the bus plus the Metro fare.
- 2. Ride the Red Line to Ibn Battuta. Ibn Battuta Bus Station is on the Red Line near the Jebel Ali end of the city. It is also the usual choice from the Marina, JBR and the Palm, as our Dubai to Abu Dhabi guide notes.
- 3. Board the E101. Tap in and expect about 2 hours on the E11. For the E100, change to the Green Line for Al Ghubaiba instead.
- 4. At Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station, take a taxi to your hotel. Getting around Abu Dhabi explains the taxi fares, the apps and the city buses.
- 5. Travelling on to Abu Dhabi airport? Air Arabia lists a shuttle from Ibn Battuta Mall to Abu Dhabi airport at AED 35, every hour from 00:00 to 23:00, in about 1 hour 30 minutes.
Which option for which arrival
Pick by your arrival time, your bags and your destination in Abu Dhabi.
| Your situation | Best option | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Landing in the morning with one bag, going to MBZ City or nearby | Metro, then Etihad Rail | A fast ride with the first Dubai train at 6:14 AM |
| Going to the city or Corniche with a small budget | Metro, then bus E101 | AED 25, but expect a long day |
| Family, suitcases or a night landing | Taxi or app car | The last Dubai train is around 6 PM, while a taxi works at any hour |
| Flying on from Abu Dhabi airport | Air Arabia shuttle from Ibn Battuta Mall | AED 35 and a bus every hour |
| Only visiting for the day | Skip the transfer; take a tour from your hotel | No station or timetable to manage |
If you are doing the trip the other way round, see Abu Dhabi Airport to Dubai.
Seeing Abu Dhabi without the transfer
Most visitors who ask about the trip from the airport want one thing: a day in Abu Dhabi. If that is you, drop your bags at your Dubai hotel and let us do the driving. Our Abu Dhabi city tour collects you at 8:00 AM from hotels in Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman, lasts 9 hours and costs from $45 per person shared, or $245 for a private car for up to 7 guests, with no prepayment. Pickup is at your hotel, and large suitcases are not allowed in the vehicles, so leave them there.
Our tour or on your own comparison weighs the bus-and-taxi day against the tour in detail.
FAQ
How much is a taxi from Dubai Airport to Abu Dhabi?
Dubai Taxi lists a start fare of AED 20 at the airport (AED 25 for a van) and AED 2.62 per km, so a trip of about 140 km is roughly AED 387 before tolls and waiting. Our Dubai to Abu Dhabi guide quotes AED 250-350 from central Dubai. Check the price in a ride app before you set off.
Is there a train from Dubai Airport to Abu Dhabi?
Not directly. Etihad Rail runs from Al Yalayis Station in Jumeirah Golf Estates to Mohammed Bin Zayed City Station in about 57 minutes, with Comfort from AED 39. You reach Al Yalayis by the Red Line Metro and a bridge of about 1,000 metres, or by taxi. The first Dubai train leaves at 6:14 AM.
Is there a bus from Dubai Airport to Abu Dhabi?
Not a direct one. Take the Red Line from Terminal 1 or 3 to Ibn Battuta and board the E101 to Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station, AED 25 and about 2 hours. The E100 leaves from Al Ghubaiba. You need a Nol card, and Dubai buses run from about 4 AM to 1 AM.
How long does it take to get from Dubai Airport to Abu Dhabi?
A taxi takes about 1.5-2 hours, according to our Dubai to Abu Dhabi guide, and longer in the morning and evening peaks. The train takes about 57 minutes, plus the Metro or taxi to Al Yalayis and a taxi in Abu Dhabi. The bus takes about 2 hours plus the Metro ride to Ibn Battuta.
What is the last train from Dubai to Abu Dhabi?
On the launch schedule the last Dubai departure was around 6 PM; Gulf News lists 5:14 PM or 6:14 PM and Khaleej Times 6:14 PM. The last train from Abu Dhabi to Dubai was 5:43 PM. Check the Etihad Rail app, because timetables can change. After a late flight, take a taxi.
Can a Dubai taxi bring me back from Abu Dhabi?
Not if you hail it in Abu Dhabi. Dubai Taxi says it picks up passengers only inside Dubai. Use an Abu Dhabi taxi or a ride app, or take the E100, E101 or E102 bus at AED 25.
Can I travel from Dubai Airport to Abu Dhabi Airport?
Yes. Air Arabia lists a shuttle from Ibn Battuta Mall in Dubai to Abu Dhabi airport at AED 35, every hour from 00:00 to 23:00, in about 1 hour 30 minutes. You reach Ibn Battuta Mall by the Red Line from Terminal 1 or 3.
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