By Mohammed Rashad Hussain, Managing PartnerPublished 4 min read
How far is Abu Dhabi from Sharjah, and how long does it take?
The figures below are road distances and free-flow times, so rush hour adds to them.
| From | To Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station | Without traffic |
|---|---|---|
| Al Majaz Waterfront, Sharjah | about 158 km | 1 h 45 min |
| Al Jubail Bus Station, Sharjah | about 161 km | 1 h 48 min |
| Heart of Sharjah | about 163 km | 1 h 50 min |
| Central Ajman | about 183 km | 2 h |
They come from the OSRM route planner on OpenStreetMap data, checked on 17 October 2026. To the Abu Dhabi Corniche from Al Jubail the figure is about 160 km and 1 hour 47 minutes.
The route is nearly all the E11. It leaves Sharjah on Al Ittihad Road, joins Sheikh Zayed Road through Dubai for about 53 km, and continues as Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Street after the emirate border near Ghantoot. Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street covers the last stretch into the city.
Which buses run from Sharjah to Abu Dhabi?
The route numbers are known from Abu Dhabi Mobility. The Sharjah-side times are not.
- Routes 117 and 118: listed from Abu Dhabi Main Bus Station to Sharjah, AED 30 a ticket, daily trips. Tickets are sold at the Customer Happiness offices in the station.
- Ajman: AED 35 from Abu Dhabi Main Bus Station, at 10:00 and 21:30.
- Sharjah’s hub: Al Jubail Bus Station is the intercity station in Sharjah. RTA’s E303, E306, E307 and E307A reach it from Dubai.
We could not read the Sharjah-side timetable, so we give no departure times. Check with Sharjah Roads and Transport Authority before you travel, and check the last bus back. Our Dubai to Abu Dhabi bus guide covers the E100 and E101 if you are changing in Dubai, and the Abu Dhabi end is the Central Bus Station in Al Wahda.
What does a taxi from Sharjah to Abu Dhabi cost?
We found no published fare for this trip. A taxi leaving Sharjah follows Sharjah’s tariff, which we could not confirm. Dubai’s RTA taxis cover trips that start in Dubai, not in another emirate, so do not expect a Dubai taxi to take a Sharjah pickup.
For scale only, Abu Dhabi’s silver taxis charge AED 1.82 a km. Over 160 km that is about AED 290 for distance, before the AED 5 start fare, waiting at AED 0.50 a minute and tolls. It is not a Sharjah quote.
The Darb gate at Ghantoot charges AED 4 a crossing, 24 hours a day. Dubai’s Salik gates add to the bill on Sheikh Zayed Road. See Darb tolls in Abu Dhabi.
E311 or E11: which road avoids the worst traffic?
The router picks the E11 through Dubai: Al Ittihad Road, then Sheikh Zayed Road. The E311 (Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road) is the ring road around Dubai. We did not measure its time or confirm where it rejoins the E11.
What matters is the hour. The morning commute towards Dubai is often slow, and you cross Dubai on the way. Our getting around Sharjah guide has the local pattern. Check live traffic before you choose.
Travelling from Ajman to Abu Dhabi
Ajman adds about 22 km to the Sharjah figure. Central Ajman to the Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station is about 183 km and 2 hours without traffic. The bus from Abu Dhabi to Ajman runs at AED 35, at 10:00 and 21:30. For Ajman and Umm Al Quwain by road, see Dubai to Ajman and Umm Al Quwain.
When a private car makes sense for this route
At 160 km each way, a private car makes sense when the bus does not fit your day:
- you carry more than a cabin bag, or travel with children
- you land at Sharjah Airport and go straight on to a meeting in Abu Dhabi
- you need to be at ADNEC, Yas Island or Zayed International at a fixed time
- you are a group of 3 or more sharing one vehicle
Assure is RTA licensed in Dubai. Because this trip starts in Sharjah and ends in Abu Dhabi, we confirm per trip whether we serve it directly or with a partner licensed in Sharjah. Send the details on WhatsApp. More on our Sharjah chauffeur service and intercity transfers pages. If you plan a daily run, read car lift Dubai to Abu Dhabi and the Dubai to Sharjah guide. The wider options are in road travel from Dubai.
Photos in this guide
Sunset over the Sharjah skyline with gulls on the water at Al Majaz WaterfrontSayfbhai / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Taxis lined up at night outside the Abu Dhabi Main Bus TerminalAyratayrat / Wikimedia Commons, CC0 1.0
A white Emirates Cab taxi with a yellow roof sign on a Sharjah streetAkbarali / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Tall lamp posts lining the Dubai to Abu Dhabi freeway, with traffic silhouetted against a pale skyBasil D Soufi / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Sunset over the water from Abu Dhabi Corniche beach, with a tall flagpole and the Marina Mall tower across the bayRamsey Mikati / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
