Transfers from/to Dubai

Thinking of visiting Dubai? The city in the United Arab Emirates is well worth a visit, although travelling to it can be exhausting. Many hours of flight time to which, once on the ground, you have to add those of the transfer to the city. This added time can add to our fatigue. The good news is that we can optimise this transfer and make it much more comfortable.

For this, there are transfers from the airport to Dubai. I have analysed all the possible options available to you. In this article I show you all of them and explain their advantages and disadvantages. And if you're just passing through Dubai for a long stopover... there are proposals for you too!

I start with what is undoubtedly the most comfortable option. In Dubai there are private shuttles that will cover the 20-minute distance between the airport and the city in the easiest way. Especially because they will take you to the door of your hotel. This way you will have less time to enjoy all there is to see and do in Dubai. All you need to do is provide your arrival time at the airport (and departure time from your hotel, in case you also want to use it to return to the airport after your stay).

One thing to bear in mind is that most transfers provide the assistance of the driver, who will often meet you at the airport premises. Once you meet him, he will guide you to the vehicle. Be sure to check how long the driver will wait for you. Normally they wait for 1 hour, but this time may vary depending on the company. Finally, prices are very reasonable and can be obtained from as little as €20, a very competitive price.

Advantages of private transport

There are several advantages offered by a private transfer from the airport to Dubai: The main one is that it is a more comfortable transfer in a car just for you and your family. You will also avoid the queues typical of other means of transport such as bus or car hire.

And what is also very important: the chauffeur will drive you to the vehicle, you will not waste time moving around an airport that you may not know in search of a predefined meeting point. This is something that, considering the temperatures in Dubai, is always a plus in terms of comfort.

Dubai is a city well known for its ostentatious exclusivity. Therefore, you will not be short of VIP options if you wish. As well as the usual private transfers, you'll also be offered a choice of high-end vehicles to choose from. However, bear in mind that many of these services are designed with businessmen and executives visiting Dubai for work in mind.

Many of their services are geared towards giving them a service to match; however, if your idea is to enjoy exclusivity on your visit to Dubai, these services can fit you like a glove. You can get them from €40.

A good option to avoid the waiting, queues and intermediate stops that characterise other means of public transport such as buses, the metro or the train. It is particularly suitable because it is cheaper. You can get them for as little as €10. The most common means of transport used for this type of transfer is the minibus. The capacity of this type of vehicle ranges from 16 to 22 people, and can be up to 30. It is therefore possible to make an approximate calculation of how many people you are going to share your journey with.

However, you will need to pay attention to the meeting point, which is often pre-defined by the company. If you are travelling to Dubai on business, you can use shared bus transport, which even has entertainers on board - anything is possible in Dubai!

Have you just had a long layover in Dubai? Don't worry, you don't have to stay at the airport. There are transfer services to Dubai that will take you from the airport to the city and also give you a guided tour of the city. As you can see, it's a sort of mixed service between city transfer, taxi and guided tour. This is what they usually offer from €80:

• Professional guide;
• Travel to and from the airport;
• Photo stops;
• May include entrance fees to museums and attractions.

I do recommend that you check the language of the guide. Most often it will be in English, so if you're not very fluent in Shakespeare's language, you'll have to think about it. Or maybe not, since it's always better to interact than to stand around at the airport, don't you think?

As for what to see, these guided transfers are usually scheduled. However, I recommend that you don't be shy and ask the driver to take you to the most interesting places. Here are the ones you can't miss:

• Dubai's best mosques
• Jumeirah Mosque
• Dubai Marina

By the way, this kind of tours also include stops so you can go out to take pictures and enjoy the tourist attraction you want to visit more closely. It never hurts to do this by knowing the dress codes in Dubai.

Advantages and disadvantages of this type of guided transfer

The advantages of this option are obvious: it is the best way to optimise your time if you are in Dubai on a stopover. The disadvantage is time: it is a viable option if your stopover is particularly long. These types of transfers take between 4 and 5 hours to fully enjoy. If your stopover is shorter, you may be on a tight schedule, although the length of the visit is flexible: it can last as long as you choose. As it also includes the return journey to the airport, you just need to let the driver know when you want to return to the terminal.

Does your eternal stopover in Dubai take place at night? The good news is that there are also guided transfers available for just such an eventuality. Dubai is, in a sense, a city that never sleeps, so the possibilities for making the most of your stopover in the city are still just as great, and you'll be able to see the city lit up spectacularly at night!

Night time is largely determined by the schedule. Some daytime attractions will be closed at that time. However, these types of guided tours put the emphasis on places that are particularly attractive at night. If you're interested in what the city has to offer at night, check out this article on what to see in Dubai at night. However, the cost is still high, as transfers of this type are available from €80.

Strengths and weaknesses of this transfer service

As with the daytime guided transfers, the main strength is that you can avoid sitting or wandering around the airport. There are two main drawbacks. The first is that your stopover should be slightly longer than the duration of the tour. However, this is not too much of a problem, as you can tell the driver when it's time to come back. The second drawback is that if you want to go to a museum, you won't be able to do so, as it will be closed.

The next fastest way to get into the city is by taxi. There are taxi ranks in the departure area of each of the three terminals. The advantages of this method of transport are obvious: speed, convenience and the ability to avoid queues and waiting (and the heat in Dubai). Prices are as follows:

• Flag down: from AED 25 (around €5);
• Price per kilometre: from AED 1.5 (about €0.36).

Just a fact, 1 € is approximately equivalent to 4 AED. If we take into account that the distance between the airport and the city is about 15 kilometres, you can get a transfer from €11.

Taxi advantages and disadvantages

The advantages are obvious. It's more comfortable and saves on waiting times which, in the inclement desert of Dubai, can be very tiring. Another advantage is that the price is affordable.

On the downside, especially compared to non-shared private transport, you won't have the convenience of being guided to the vehicle. You will have to look for the taxi rank, although that's not a big problem either, they are signposted and the taxis are easily identifiable by their cream colour. Except (and here's a fun fact) for those driven by women, in which case they are pink.

Another useful option if you want a quick and comfortable transfer to the city. And since Dubai is a very popular tourist city, you won 't be short of car rental options. There you will have at your disposal international and well-known car rental agencies. The most important ones are:

• Hertz
• Europcar
• National
• Sixt
• Thrifty
• Budget
• Patriot
• United Cars

Just make sure you check where the pick-up office is located. It may happen that one of them is not exactly on the airport premises. The rental companies usually provide shuttles to take customers to the pick-up point. However, be careful with this last point. There may be long waiting times or other inconveniences (not to mention a lot of embarrassment, literally speaking).

Advantages and disadvantages

There are obvious advantages to a rental car. You will be assured of a comfortable, short journey with no stops in between. As long as the agency is not located far from the airport terminal. In that case there could be queues, waiting for the shuttle and other inconveniences.

The downside is that it's a cost-effective option if you're already planning to travel extensively around the country. This is something you should consider if you haven't already. In fact, the UAE has some very charming places. If you're thinking of travelling to the desert, here are some tips on how to get to the desert in Dubai.

Another drawback worth mentioning is that driving in the country can be a peculiar experience. Especially because of the locals' driving habits, which are a bit more daring than in Spain. In fact, the United Arab Emirates is one of the countries with the highest death rate at the wheel. This is a fact that should be taken in its proper perspective, without dramatisation, but which should be borne in mind.

There are two metro stations in Dubai: one at Terminal 1 and one at Terminal 3. The most central stop is the Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall stop. You can transfer there if you wish. Anyway, here you have the information about the stops of the metro network in Dubai. The frequency is 10-15 minutes and the total journey time is around 30 minutes. You can buy a ticket for as little as AED 8, which works out at about €2.

You can also get an NOL card, which allows you to travel on the metro for different periods of time, including other methods of transport. Find all the information about NOL cards here.

The metro can also be a great way to start exploring the city. In fact, some of its stops will drop you off at very significant points in the city that are included on any must-see list. For example, the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world.

Advantages and disadvantages from the metro

The metro is certainly a good method of transport, although it is slower than others. The price is competitive, but for a few euros more you can opt for more comfortable private transfers. Also, you will have to make stops in between and you may not be dropped off where you want to go and may need to transfer (so it will take longer to get to your hotel).

We come to the mode of transport whose balance between advantages and disadvantages is most balanced: the bus. At Dubai airport you will find a bus stop at each of the terminals. Frequencies range from 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the line. Here are the most frequent ones:

• Line 401 to Deira: Approximately 30 minutes;
• Line 402 to Bur Dubai: Approximately 30 minutes;
• Line C1 to Satwa Station: Approximately 10 minutes;
• Line C2 to Zabeel Park: Approximately 10 minutes.

Please note: You will not be able to buy your ticket on the bus. You have to buy a rechargeable card at the various machines you will find at the airport.

The fare starts at 2 AED, which is a little over €0.50. Buses run from 6am to 12 midnight. However, I advise you to check the Dubai Bus website before you do anything else to make sure there are no changes.

You will also find buses to Abu Dhabi. For more details on this, it's best to check this article on how to get from Dubai to Abu Dhabi.

Advantages and disadvantages bus route

The advantages of the bus are that it is the cheapest method of transport. In addition, buses in Dubai are modern and comfortable and, fortunately, air-conditioned. The downside is obvious: it is the option that is subject to longer journey times, longer waits, queues and a slightly more crowded journey than other methods of transport.

These are, in short, the options you have for airport transfers to Dubai. All you have to do is decide what you plan to do and the budget you want to spend. The last word is up to you.

There are many types of transport and the services offered by each of them. For this reason, I present a table in which you can compare what you can expect from each of them. Check the journey time, meeting point, waiting time, stops along the route (if any) and the price of your preferred mode of transport.