By Mohammed Rashad Hussain, Managing PartnerPublished 12 min read
What do you need to know before your first trip to Dubai?
Dubai is one of seven emirates in the United Arab Emirates. It is easy to visit, but a handful of local rules decide whether the first day goes smoothly. These are the ones we see visitors trip over most often.
The weekend is Saturday and Sunday. RTA, Dubai’s transport authority, prices its taxis with Saturday and Sunday as the weekend. Government offices work Monday to Friday, and Sharjah’s government works Monday to Thursday. Private companies vary: most close on Sunday only, some on both days.
Sunday mornings start late on the Metro. The Metro opens at 8 am on Sunday, against 5 am on the other six days. On Friday it runs until 1 am.
Check your visa before you book flights. Entry rules depend on your passport and change often. Our guide to UAE visas explained sets out the types and where to check them. We do not restate visa rules here.
Bring the prescription with your medicines. The UAE asks visitors to carry the prescription for the quantity they bring. Controlled medicines need approval from the Ministry of Health before you travel.
Know how pickups work at DXB. Dubai International has no private pick-up area at the arrivals kerb. A friend or driver collecting you parks in the terminal car park and meets you inside. Taxis and the ride-hailing apps have their own signed pickup points.
Set your watch to GMT+4. UAE time is four hours ahead of GMT all year, with no daylight saving. In the European summer, Dubai is three hours ahead of London; in winter, four.
The city is long. From DXB to Dubai Marina is 32 to 40 km by road, depending on the terminal. Where you stay sets how much of your trip is spent in a car.
How do you get around Dubai?
Visitors use four ways of getting around, often all four in one trip. The full comparison is in how to get around Dubai.
The Metro. The Red Line stops at DXB Terminals 1 and 3 and follows Sheikh Zayed Road to Downtown, Mall of the Emirates and Dubai Marina. You can bring up to two pieces of luggage. Pay with a nol card from the station machines.
RTA taxis. A taxi hailed on the street starts at AED 5 between 6 am and 10 pm. From an airport rank it starts at AED 20, or AED 25 for a van. Every ride costs at least AED 12. The meter, the waiting charge and the extras are explained in Dubai taxi fares.
Uber, Careem and Bolt. All three work in Dubai and at DXB. They show the price before you book, and that price moves with demand. Careem also books metered RTA taxis under the name Hala Taxi. Which costs less on your trip is covered in Uber vs Careem vs taxi.
A car with driver. You book the car and chauffeur for a set time or route. The driver waits at each stop and drives you between emirates. A car with driver in Dubai is quoted by the hour or the day.
The table shows how far the main districts are from DXB, measured with OpenStreetMap routing without traffic.
| From DXB to | Road distance (Terminal 1 to Terminal 3) | Drive time without traffic |
|---|---|---|
| Deira, Gold Souk | 8 to 17 km | 9 to 31 min |
| Dubai World Trade Centre | 11 to 19 km | 12 to 32 min |
| Downtown, Dubai Mall | 14 to 21 km | 15 to 33 min |
| Business Bay | 16 to 22 km | 15 to 33 min |
| Dubai Marina | 32 to 40 km | 28 to 48 min |
| Jumeirah Beach Residence | 33 to 41 km | 29 to 49 min |
| Atlantis The Palm | 36 to 44 km | 35 to 55 min |
| Expo City Dubai | 49 to 55 km | 44 to 59 min |
A rough rule for picking between them:
- Two bags or fewer, daytime, on the Red Line: take the Metro. A paper Red Ticket costs AED 2 and holds up to 10 single trips.
- Late at night or off the Metro line: take a taxi from the rank or the street.
- Five or six people: ask for a van taxi, or book a 6-seat van with a driver.
- Three or more stops in a day: book a car with driver, so the car waits while you are inside.
Arriving with family or heavy bags? An Assure airport transfer has the chauffeur waiting in the arrivals hall with your name on a board, then walking you to the car.
A sample first four days
This is a common first trip, with road distances measured without traffic. Shift the order to suit your flight times.
- Arrival and Downtown. DXB Terminal 1 to Dubai Mall is 14 km, about 15 minutes. Spend the evening at Burj Khalifa and the fountain shows on the lake.
- Old Dubai. Dubai Mall to Al Fahidi in Bur Dubai is 10 km, about 13 minutes. Walk the wind-tower lanes, cross the Creek by abra for AED 1, then the Spice and Gold Souks in Deira. Go early in summer.
- The coast. Dubai Mall to the Burj Al Arab is 16 km. From there, carry on to Atlantis The Palm and end in Dubai Marina, 11 km from Atlantis.
- Abu Dhabi. Leave Dubai by 8 am to reach the Grand Mosque before the midday heat. The capital is about 139 km away.
By taxi, days 2 and 3 alone mean six or more separate rides. With a car and driver booked for the day, the same plan runs as one trip.
What do Salik tolls, Darb tolls and paid parking mean for visitors?
Three charges show up on road trips that are not in the taxi meter’s starting fare.
Salik in Dubai. Salik is Dubai’s toll system. Gates on the main roads, Sheikh Zayed Road among them, charge each car that passes. In a taxi, RTA bills the toll to you on top of the meter. Our guide to Salik tolls shows which trips pass a gate and how the charge works.
Darb in Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi runs its own toll system, Darb. Since 1 September 2025 each gate charges AED 4 per crossing at peak times.
- 7 am to 9 am, Monday to Saturday
- 3 pm to 7 pm, Monday to Saturday
- free on Sundays and public holidays, with no daily cap
One gate breaks that pattern. Since 4 May 2026, the Ghantoot gate on Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Street charges AED 4 at every hour of every day. It sits on the main road from Dubai into Abu Dhabi, so nearly every trip between the two cities passes it.
Paid parking in Dubai. Since 4 April 2025, Dubai’s public parking has charged a higher peak rate from 8 am to 10 am and from 4 pm to 8 pm. Parking is charged for 14 hours a day. Peak pricing does not apply on Sundays or public holidays. This only matters if you drive or your driver has to park and wait.
When is the best time to visit, and how do Ramadan and public holidays change a trip?
The cooler months. November to March is the main season. Days are warm rather than hot, and beaches, desert camps and outdoor dining are at their busiest. Book cars and hotels early for the weeks around Christmas and New Year. Month-by-month advice is in the best time to visit Dubai.
The summer. From June to September the heat moves life indoors. Plan walking in Al Fahidi, the souks and the Creek for early morning or after sunset. Use the Metro, malls and air-conditioned cars for the middle of the day. Beach clubs and desert trips shift to early starts.
Ramadan. The holy month follows the Islamic lunar calendar, so it starts about 11 days earlier each year. Private-sector working hours drop by 2 hours a day, which moves the morning and evening traffic peaks. Many restaurants and attractions change their opening hours for the month. Check what your hotel advises about eating and drinking in public during daylight.
Public holidays. On holidays and city-wide celebrations, the Metro may run later than usual. Darb tolls in Abu Dhabi are free, and Dubai’s peak parking rate does not apply. Hotels and roads to the beach and the desert get busier.
Which area should you stay in?
Five areas cover most visitor stays. The distance from DXB matters on your arrival day and every time you head out.
| Area | From DXB by road | Getting around from there | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deira | 8 to 17 km | Green Line, abras across Dubai Creek | The souks, short airport runs |
| Downtown Dubai | 14 to 21 km | Red Line at Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall | A first visit, Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall |
| Business Bay | 16 to 22 km | 3.5 km from Dubai Mall, by taxi or car | Business trips, the canal-side hotels |
| Dubai Marina and JBR | 32 to 41 km | Red Line, tram, water taxi | The beach, waterfront restaurants |
| Palm Jumeirah | 36 to 44 km to Atlantis | Taxi, app car or the FR4 ferry from Dubai Marina Mall | Resort stays with a private beach |
What each area is like on the ground:
- Downtown Dubai is built around Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall and the fountain lake. Most sights for a first trip are within 16 km: the Burj Al Arab, Al Fahidi and Mall of the Emirates.
- Business Bay lines the Dubai Water Canal beside Downtown. The towers mix hotels and offices, so it suits a trip with meetings.
- Dubai Marina and JBR sit at the far end of the coast. You walk to the beach, the Marina Walk and the water taxi, and Atlantis is 11 km away.
- Palm Jumeirah is mostly resorts. Leaving the island means a car, a taxi or the ferry.
Two practical notes.
- Deira and Bur Dubai face each other across the Creek. The traditional abra between them costs AED 1 a person, cash only, and takes you from the Bur Dubai side to Deira Old Souq.
- On the Palm, the monorail from Palm Gateway to Atlantis Aquaventure was suspended for maintenance when we checked on 17 October 2026. Plan on taxis, app cars or a booked car until it reopens.
What are the rules on dress, alcohol, photos and medicines?
Dress. In malls and other public places, covering shoulders and knees is the polite default. Keep swimwear for the beach and the pool. Mosques are stricter. At the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, the rules are specific:
- Women wear loose clothing to the ankles, sleeves to the wrists and a covering over all their hair.
- Men are asked to cover their legs and avoid sleeveless or tight shirts.
- Nobody should wear clothing that is sheer, tight or printed with slogans.
Photos. At the Grand Mosque, photos are allowed only at the marked photo stops. Commercial or professional photography needs a permit from the mosque centre. Elsewhere, ask before you photograph people, and leave out anyone who says no.
Alcohol. The rules differ between emirates and depend on each venue’s licence. Check with your hotel before you plan an evening, especially if it is outside Dubai.
Medicines. Carry the prescription for the quantity you bring. Controlled medicines need Ministry of Health approval, which you must apply for before the trip. Over-the-counter medicines and uncontrolled prescriptions do not need prior approval.
In taxis. RTA rules apply in every taxi: seat belts for all passengers, and no smoking, eating, drinking or pets.
What changes when you travel with children or on business?
With children. UAE traffic rules require a protection seat for any child under 4. A child aged 10 or under, or shorter than 145 cm, may not ride in the front seat. The fine is AED 400. Do not count on a rank taxi having a child seat, so plan for this before you land. Careem lists a Kids ride type with a child seat. With a pre-booked car, ask for the seat when you book.
Ask about car size as well as seats. Six people with six checked cases need a van, not a large SUV. Families with prams and several cases often find the Metro hard work. Its luggage limit is two pieces per passenger, including hand luggage.
On business. The two big exhibition venues sit far apart. Dubai World Trade Centre is 11 to 19 km from DXB, and Expo City Dubai 49 to 55 km. Both are on the Red Line. For a day of meetings across DIFC, Business Bay and Dubai Internet City, a chauffeur service booked by the hour saves finding a new car between each one. During Ramadan, expect shorter office hours and plan meetings earlier in the day.
Day trips to the other emirates
Abu Dhabi. The capital is about 139 km from Dubai, roughly 1 hour 30 minutes without traffic. The road passes the Ghantoot gate, and Abu Dhabi’s own taxis charge AED 1.82 a kilometre. Most visitors go for the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the Louvre Abu Dhabi and Yas Island. A private transfer from Dubai to Abu Dhabi runs door to door in both directions.
Sharjah. Central Sharjah is about 26 km from central Dubai, 27 minutes without traffic. A Dubai taxi adds AED 20 to the meter when it passes into Sharjah. The morning commute towards Dubai is heavy, so plan the trip out for mid-morning. Dubai Ferry route FR5 also links Sharjah Aquarium with Al Ghubaiba in Bur Dubai. If your flight lands at Sharjah International Airport instead, central Dubai is about 39 km away, around 34 minutes without traffic.
Hatta. The mountain town is about 109 km from Downtown Dubai, around 1 hour 30 minutes without traffic. It belongs to Dubai but sits in the Hajar Mountains, close to the Oman border. RTA’s Hatta Express bus, H02, costs AED 25 per rider, and Dubai’s taxis there run as Hatta Taxi on the same AED 5 street start.
For full itineraries, our day trips from Dubai guide covers each one. If you would rather someone else plans the day, browse the tours from Dubai, each with a private car and driver.
Every guide in this series
These guides go deeper on each part of a Dubai trip:
- How to get around Dubai: the Metro, tram, abras, ferries, taxis, apps and when a car with driver fits.
- Dubai taxi fares: starting fares, the minimum, waiting time and the extras, with distances from DXB.
- Uber vs Careem vs taxi: how each one prices a trip, car classes, DXB pickups and child seats.
- Salik tolls in Dubai: where the gates are and who pays.
- The best time to visit Dubai: the seasons, the heat and the busy months.
Assure has run chauffeur and transfer trips in Dubai for more than 10 years. We are RTA licensed and answer on WhatsApp and phone 24/7 at +971 56 684 8148.
Photos in this guide
The Dubai skyline with Burj Khalifa, seen from the air above the low-rise neighbourhoodsTim Reckmann / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Wooden abras moored on Dubai Creek at sunset, with UAE flags on their canopiesPhil6007 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
A traditional wind tower above the houses of the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood in Bur DubaiWadimaktoob / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
The towers of Dubai Marina across the water at duskNorlando Pobre / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
