By Mohammed Rashad Hussain, Managing PartnerPublished 4 min read
How do you visit Qasr Al Watan?
Qasr Al Watan stands at the western end of the Abu Dhabi Corniche, close to Emirates Palace. It is a working presidential palace that opens to ticketed visitors. You buy a ticket on the palace’s official site, park at the Visitor Centre and ride a free shuttle to the entrance.
From Dubai Marina it is about 128 km by road, roughly 1 h 22 min without traffic (OSRM road data, checked 17 October 2026). From the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque it is about 21 km, around 20 minutes. Our Abu Dhabi chauffeur service can meet you at your hotel, drop you at the Visitor Centre and wait.
Ticket types
The palace sells three kinds of ticket: general admission, Palace in Motion and tours. We do not quote prices because the palace changes them. The official ticket page shows the current price at checkout.
| Ticket | What it covers |
|---|---|
| General admission | The Great Hall, the Presidential Gifts hall, the Qasr Al Watan Library and entry to Palace in Motion |
| Palace in Motion | The show, sold as its own ticket type |
| Tours | Add-on tours, listed on the palace site |
The general admission ticket also includes free Wi-Fi, the shuttle and parking. It is single use. You can stay as long as you like, but leaving the grounds ends the visit.
If you would rather have entry arranged for you, see our attraction tickets page, where we can add palace entry to a booking.
Opening hours and the Palace in Motion show
Last entry to the palace is at closing time. Last entry to Palace in Motion is 30 minutes before that show starts. Opening hours and show times are set by the palace and can differ by day, so check them on the official site for your date.
For questions the site does not answer, the contact centre is on 600 544 442. We do not print show times here because we could not confirm a fixed schedule.
What is inside: the Great Hall, the Presidential Gifts and the library
Three zones are named on the general admission ticket.
- The Great Hall is the first of the named zones on the ticket.
- Presidential Gifts is the gifts hall.
- Qasr Al Watan Library is the palace library, open to ticket holders.
Plan about two hours inside. That is our planning figure for a calm visit, not an official timing.
Dress code and security checks
Knees and shoulders must be covered. The palace bans shorts, sleeveless tops and see-through clothing. Flip-flops and very casual footwear are not accepted.
Bags go through airport-style scanners. These items are not allowed in:
- Food and drink, except bottled water.
- Knives, penknives, scissors and long umbrellas.
- Alcohol, paints and aerosols.
- Bicycles, folding bikes, roller-skates and skateboards.
- Pets, and bags too big for the scanners.
- Tripods over 15 inches high and single-leg tripods.
Photography packages are sold separately, at AED 250 inside the palace and AED 350 outside. Leave large bags in the car with your driver.
Parking, strollers and wheelchairs
Self-parking at the Visitor Centre is free. Valet parking costs AED 35. Strollers cost AED 20 to hire, and wheelchairs are free. If a chauffeur drives you, the car uses the Visitor Centre too, and the driver stays nearby while you tour.
Pairing it with the Grand Mosque and Emirates Palace
Qasr Al Watan works as the second stop after the mosque. The two are about 21 km apart. Our Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque visitor guide lists the mosque’s own hours, entry rules and Friday pause, which decide the order of the day.
Emirates Palace is next door on the same corniche. After the palace you can walk the Corniche, or drive to Saadiyat for the Louvre Abu Dhabi. Our Abu Dhabi city tour from Dubai runs the mosque, the palace and the Corniche in one day. For other stops, see our places to visit in Abu Dhabi.
Getting there from Dubai
The route runs along Sheikh Zayed Road and the E11 to Abu Dhabi, then onto the island. Morning and evening traffic add time near both cities. Leave Dubai Marina at about 8:30 to reach the palace before midday.
Our day trips from Dubai guide has other full days out of the city. A pickup that starts in Dubai runs in Assure’s own cars under our RTA licence. A pickup from an Abu Dhabi hotel uses a car arranged through our partner network, subject to availability.
Photos in this guide
The Etihad Towers and downtown Abu Dhabi seen across a fountain pool in the gardens of Qasr Al WatanMatti Blume / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Qasr Al Watan from above, its white domes and gardens beside the sea in Abu DhabiChristoph Derndorfer-Medosch / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
The Qasr Al Watan palace grounds in Abu Dhabi at sunset, seen from aboveDarthjipsu / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Palm-lined gardens and a tiled star-shaped fountain in the grounds of Qasr Al Watan, Abu DhabiEditQ / Wikimedia Commons, CC0 1.0
