How to get from Dubai to Abu Dhabi: bus, train, taxi or private car

Dubai to Abu Dhabi at a glance

	RTA bus	Etihad Rail	Metered taxi	Private car with driver
Where it starts	Al Ghubaiba (E100) or Ibn Battuta (E101) bus station	Dubai Station, Al Yalayis	Your door, a rank or an app	Your door, or arrivals at DXB and DWC
Where it ends	Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station, Al Wahda	Abu Dhabi Station, Mohamed Bin Zayed City	Your address	Your address, with agreed stops
Time on the move	Longer than a car on the same 116 to 147 km	64 minutes between stations	About 1 h 30 min between city centres	About 1 h 30 min between city centres
What you pay	AED 25 a seat	From AED 39 a seat	The meter, plus tolls	One quote for the car
When it runs	Dubai Bus network 04:00 to 01:00	5 trains each way, last from Dubai 18:14	Any hour	Any hour
Luggage	No bulky luggage	2 items each	One car boot	Car sized to the group

Fares are third-party prices from Abu Dhabi Mobility and Etihad Rail, checked on 17 October 2026. Drive times come from the OSRM route planner on OpenStreetMap data, without traffic.

How long is the drive on the E11?

Between Downtown Dubai and central Abu Dhabi it is about 139 km, roughly 1 hour 28 minutes if the road is clear. Dubai Marina is closer, at about 119 km and 1 hour 14 minutes.

Most of the drive is one road number, the E11. It is Sheikh Zayed Road through Dubai, then Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Street after the border near Ghantoot.

Two tolls apply on the way:

• Salik gates in Dubai charge each time a car passes under one. Whether you pass one depends on your start point. Our guide to Salik toll gates lists them.
• Darb opened a gate at Ghantoot on 4 May 2026. It charges AED 4 per crossing, 24 hours a day. Abu Dhabi Mobility names Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Street as the route that avoids it.

Is the bus or the train cheaper, and where do they leave from?

The bus is cheaper at AED 25 a seat, against the train’s route card from AED 39. The train is faster between its two stations. Where you start in Dubai decides which is closer.

You are near	Nearest public option	Distance by road
Deira, Bur Dubai, Downtown	E100 at Al Ghubaiba Bus Station	about 10 km from Downtown
Dubai Marina, JBR, Jebel Ali	E101 at Ibn Battuta Bus Station	about 6 km from the Marina
Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai Marina	Etihad Rail at Al Yalayis	about 14 km from the Marina

The bus ends at Al Wahda, about 3 km from central Abu Dhabi. The train ends in Mohamed Bin Zayed City, about 27 km from the centre by road, with Etihad Rail shuttles to the Corniche, ADNEC and Reem Mall.

Routes, fares and the return trip are in our Dubai to Abu Dhabi bus guide. The full timetable, luggage rules and station links are in the Etihad Rail train guide.

What does a taxi or ride-hail from Dubai to Abu Dhabi cost?

RTA does not publish a fixed fare to Abu Dhabi. A Dubai taxi starts at AED 5 from the street between 6am and 10pm, or AED 5.5 at night. An app booking starts at AED 9 to AED 13, by the hour. The meter then adds a charge per kilometre and per minute of waiting.

RTA’s fare formula also adds the Salik fee and the fee for entering Darb. RTA says toll charges are billed to the customer.

Ride-hailing apps such as Uber and Careem show their price before you confirm, and it moves with demand. For a trip of 120 to 140 km, that price is set at the moment you book.

When does a private car with driver make more sense?

• More than 2 people. The bus and train charge per seat. A car is quoted per vehicle, so 4 to 6 people share one price.
• Suitcases. RTA does not allow bulky luggage on its buses. A Mercedes-Benz V-Class takes 6 passengers and 4 large cases.
• Stops. A car can wait at the Grand Mosque, then carry on to the Corniche or Yas.
• Early or late. The last train leaves Dubai at 18:14. A car leaves when you do.
• A full day. With a car with driver by the hour, the chauffeur waits between every stop in the capital.

Assure’s private Dubai to Abu Dhabi transfer collects you from any Dubai address and drives to your Abu Dhabi door. Quotes come back on WhatsApp, day or night.

Getting to the main sights in Abu Dhabi by car

To	From Downtown Dubai	From Dubai Marina
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque	about 128 km, 1 h 22 min	about 108 km, 1 h 8 min
Louvre Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat	about 135 km, 1 h 25 min	about 115 km, 1 h 11 min
Ferrari World, Yas Island	about 111 km, 1 h 13 min	about 92 km, 59 min
Central Abu Dhabi	about 139 km, 1 h 28 min	about 119 km, 1 h 14 min

The Grand Mosque sits about 10 km short of central Abu Dhabi, so a stop on the way adds little driving. Visitors who are not there to pray pre-book an online access pass. Women wear loose clothes to the ankles with full hair cover.

Yas Island sits beside the E11 before the road reaches the city, which is why it is closer than the centre. Train travellers can take SeaWorld’s free Yas Express shuttle from Mohamed Bin Zayed City Station.

For a set day of sights with a driver, see our Abu Dhabi city tour from Dubai. Our guide to places to visit in Abu Dhabi helps you choose.

Travelling the other way: Abu Dhabi to Dubai

• Bus: Abu Dhabi Mobility lists the E100, E101 and E102 from Abu Dhabi Main Bus Station to Dubai at AED 25, with tickets from the station’s Customer Happiness offices.
• Train: departures from Abu Dhabi Station run from 06:43 on weekdays and 07:43 at weekends. The last leaves at 17:43 on weekdays and 18:43 at weekends.
• Taxi: an Abu Dhabi silver taxi charges a flag fall of AED 5 by day, AED 5.50 at night, then AED 1.82 a kilometre and AED 0.50 a minute of waiting.

Assure’s trips that start in Dubai run under our RTA licence. A pickup in Abu Dhabi needs a vehicle licensed there, so we confirm the return leg for your date on request.

Which option suits families, business travellers and groups?

Traveller	Usually best	Why
Solo, cabin bag, flexible time	E101 bus or the train	Lowest fare per seat
Business meeting at ADNEC or Mohamed Bin Zayed City	Etihad Rail, or a car	Station is about 17 km from ADNEC
Family of 4 with suitcases	Private car	One price, door to door, bags fit
Group of 7 to 13	Mercedes-Benz Sprinter	One vehicle instead of two or three taxis
Evening event in the capital	Private car	No train back after 18:43

Starting at DXB: from the airport straight to Abu Dhabi

Dubai International (DXB) is about 154 km from central Abu Dhabi, roughly 1 hour 50 minutes without traffic. Yas Island is about 127 km from DXB and Zayed International (AUH) about 131 km. Al Maktoum International (DWC) is closer, about 118 km from central Abu Dhabi.

Public transport from DXB means crossing Dubai first. The E100 starts at Al Ghubaiba and the E101 at Ibn Battuta. The train starts at Al Yalayis, about 44 km from DXB.

With a pre-booked car, your chauffeur waits in the arrivals hall of your terminal with a name board, then drives straight to Abu Dhabi. Our DXB airport transfer page shows each terminal’s meeting point. Flying out of the capital instead? See Zayed International transfers.

Every other road out of the city, from Sharjah to the Oman border, is in our guide to road travel from Dubai.