The BAPS Hindu Mandir stands about 90 km from Dubai, on the highway just before Abu Dhabi, and that position is both the problem and the solution. On its own it is an expensive destination: a taxi from Dubai Marina or Downtown is roughly $80 each way, and the bus only gets you to the Abu Dhabi bus station, 40 minutes away by taxi in the wrong direction. Combined with the rest of the capital it is the easiest stop of the day, because the Mandir sits on the way in. This guide compares the three options — taxi, bus and the full-day tour — on price, time and what you get for it, then lists the rules that decide whether you get through the gate: the Monday closure, the registration QR code and the dress code.
By SB Excursions · Published 14 September 2026 · Updated 14 September 2026
Tour on this route: Abu Dhabi City Tour from Dubai — From $45 per person, 9 hours.
How do I get from Dubai to the BAPS Hindu Mandir?
By taxi in about 1.5 hours for roughly $80 (AED 300) each way, by the E101 bus from Ibn Battuta to the Abu Dhabi bus station plus a 40-minute taxi, or with the $45 full-day Abu Dhabi tour, which includes the Mandir, the Grand Mosque, the Corniche, Heritage Village and Yas Island with hotel pickup at 8:00 AM.
This guide also answers:
- How much is a taxi from Dubai to the BAPS Mandir?
- Is there a bus from Dubai to the BAPS Mandir?
- Is the BAPS Mandir open every day?
The three ways, ranked
#1
The full-day Abu Dhabi tour
The Mandir is one of six stops: Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque first, then the temple, the Corniche with Emirates Palace and Etihad Towers, Heritage Village, Yas Island with a Ferrari World photo stop and the Dates Market. Hotel pickup at 8:00 AM, English-speaking guide, entry codes for the Mandir handled.
#2
Taxi from Dubai
About 1.5 hours from the Marina or Downtown, at least $80 to get there and $160 or more for the round trip. You see the temple and nothing else, and because it stands on the highway outside the city, finding a taxi back at a fair price is the harder half of the trip.
#3
Bus E101 plus a taxi
The RTA E101 leaves Ibn Battuta for the Abu Dhabi bus station, about two hours away. The station is in the city, the Mandir is 40 minutes back out by taxi, and you repeat both legs on the way home: four hours or more of transfers for a single stop.
#4
Private car for the day
The same loop as the shared tour, at your own pace: longer at the temple, lunch where you choose, an earlier return if the children fade. For four people it costs about the same as two taxi legs, and the guide and the entry codes come with it.
Which way should you go?
Take the full-day tour unless you have a specific reason not to. The Abu Dhabi City Tour from Dubai costs $45 per person, less than one taxi leg, and it treats the Mandir the way geography suggests: as a stop on the way into the capital, between the Grand Mosque and the Corniche, with the registration codes arranged in advance.
Take a taxi if the temple is genuinely the only thing you want and the day is short — it is the fastest door-to-door option. Take the bus only if the budget is the point and the day is free, because the connections at both ends turn one visit into most of a day.
By taxi: fast, then expensive on the way back
A taxi from Dubai Marina or Downtown to the Mandir takes around 1.5 hours and costs at least $80 (about AED 300) one way, so $160 or more for the round trip. The drive is easy — straight down the E11 — and the temple is right off the highway in the Al Rahba area.
The catch is the return. The Mandir stands outside the city, and taxis do not queue there the way they do at a mall. Either keep your driver waiting, book the return through an app in advance, or accept that you may wait. And whichever you choose, you have paid for one location.
By bus: cheap, and most of the day gone
The RTA E101 from Ibn Battuta bus station runs to the main bus station in Abu Dhabi in about two hours for roughly $10. That is the cheap part. The station is in the city and the Mandir is on the highway 40 minutes back the way you came, so you add a taxi in each direction and end up with four hours or more in transfers.
It works for a traveller with a whole free day and a small budget. For everyone else the arithmetic favours the tour: for $45 the transfer, the guide and five more stops are included, and nobody stands at a bus station in the heat.
With the tour: what the $45 includes
The shared tour starts with an 8:00 AM hotel pickup in Dubai, Sharjah or Ajman — guests in Sharjah and the outer parts of Dubai are collected first — and reaches Abu Dhabi in 1.5-2 hours. The Grand Mosque comes first, in the cool of the morning, then the Mandir, then the rest of the capital. A private car for up to 7 people is $245, with the same stops and a flexible schedule.
- BAPS Hindu Mandir: the full visit, with the entry codes handled.
- Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque: a 40-minute stop with registration assistance.
- Heritage Village: Bedouin life before the oil.
- Photo stops: Emirates Palace, Etihad Towers and Ferrari World on Yas Island.
- The Corniche drive with the skyline, and the Dates Market before the return.
- Round-trip transfer in an air-conditioned vehicle, licensed English-speaking guide, bottled water.
| From Dubai | Cost | Time | What you see |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taxi | $80+ each way, $160+ return | About 1.5 hours each way | The Mandir only |
| Bus E101 + taxi | About $10 plus two taxi legs | 4+ hours in transfers | The Mandir only |
| Shared tour | $45 per person | Part of a 9-hour day | Mandir, mosque, Corniche, Heritage Village, Yas |
| Private car | $245 per car, up to 7 | Your own timing | The same, flexible |
Before you go: the rules that decide the visit
Transport is the easy part. Three rules send people home from the gate every week, and the tour exists partly to take them off your plate.
- Closed on Mondays. The Mandir opens to visitors Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Do not plan the trip for a Monday.
- Gate pass. Entry is free, but you register in advance on the official website or app and bring the QR code. Book a few days ahead; slots fill up. On the tour the codes are arranged for the group.
- Dress code. Shoulders and knees covered for men and women; no shorts, sleeveless or transparent clothes. Shoes come off inside the complex.
- Photography. Fine outside, not allowed inside the prayer halls — keep the phone in your pocket.
- Distance. About 1.5 hours by car from Dubai Marina, on the E11 just before Abu Dhabi.
How the day runs when the Mandir is one stop
Pickup at 8:00 AM, the drive down the E11, and the Grand Mosque first while the courtyard is still cool — a 40-minute stop. Then the Mandir, which is on the same side of the city. From there the route runs along the Corniche past Emirates Palace and Etihad Towers, to Heritage Village, and out to Yas Island for the Ferrari World photo and a lunch stop at Yas Mall, with the Dates Market before the drive home. Back in Dubai in the evening.
One outfit covers both sacred sites — the mosque needs a headscarf for women, the Mandir does not, so dress for the mosque and you are set for the day. Bring a copy of your passport or Emirates ID for security, leave large suitcases at the hotel, and drink the water on board: Abu Dhabi runs 2-3 degrees hotter than Dubai.
FAQ
How do I get from Dubai to the BAPS Hindu Mandir?
By taxi in about 1.5 hours for roughly $80 (AED 300) each way, by the E101 bus from Ibn Battuta to the Abu Dhabi bus station plus a 40-minute taxi, or with the $45 full-day Abu Dhabi tour, which includes the Mandir, the Grand Mosque, the Corniche, Heritage Village and Yas Island with hotel pickup at 8:00 AM.
How much is a taxi from Dubai to the BAPS Mandir?
At least $80, about AED 300, one way from Dubai Marina or Downtown, so $160 or more for the round trip. The return is the harder half: the temple stands on the highway outside the city and taxis do not queue there.
Is there a bus from Dubai to the BAPS Mandir?
Not directly. The RTA E101 from Ibn Battuta reaches the Abu Dhabi bus station in about two hours, and from there the Mandir is a 40-minute taxi back out of the city. Count on four hours or more of transfers in total.
Is the BAPS Mandir open every day?
No — it is closed to visitors on Mondays. Visiting hours are Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM; check the official page before a holiday or festival date.
Do I need to book to visit the BAPS Mandir?
Yes. Entry is free, but you register in advance on the official website or app and show the QR code at the gate. Slots fill up on weekends. On the Abu Dhabi tour the entry codes are handled for the group.
Can I see the BAPS Mandir and the Grand Mosque in one day?
Yes, that is the standard loop. The full-day tour does the Grand Mosque first, then the Mandir, then the Corniche, Heritage Village and Yas Island, and returns to Dubai in the evening — about 9 hours door to door.
What is the dress code for the BAPS Mandir?
Shoulders and knees covered, for men and women; no shorts, sleeveless tops or transparent fabrics. Shoes come off inside the complex, and the prayer halls are silent and photo-free.
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