By Mohammed Rashad Hussain, Managing PartnerPublished 3 min read
Where is the Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal?
The Abu Dhabi cruise terminal is at Zayed Port, known in Arabic as Mina Zayed, on the north side of Abu Dhabi island. AD Ports Group opened it in December 2015 and runs it. AD Ports lists restaurants, retail outlets, duty-free shops, Etihad check-in and baggage storage inside the building.
Cars arrive along Al Mina Street. The Corniche is only about 7 km away and central Abu Dhabi about 10 km. AD Ports reported 184 ship calls in its 2022 to 2023 season, so the terminal is busy between late October and spring.
Getting to AUH for a same-day flight
Zayed International is about 43 km and 35 minutes from the terminal without traffic. The road crosses the Sheikh Khalifa Bridge and follows the E12 past Saadiyat and Yas. These figures come from OSRM on OpenStreetMap data, checked on 17 October 2026.
For a 6pm departure from Terminal A, the car should leave by about 2pm, which gives the 3 hours before departure that most airlines ask for plus the drive. Check the exact check-in cut-off with your airline. Our guide to Zayed International Terminal A arrivals shows the terminal layout, and the AUH pickup page covers the booking. If Etihad check-in is open at the terminal on your date, you can leave the bags before the drive.
Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal to Dubai: options and timings
| From Zayed Port to | Road distance | Without traffic |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown Dubai | about 139 km | about 1 h 30 min |
| Dubai Marina | about 119 km | about 1 h 15 min |
| Dubai International (DXB) | about 154 km | about 1 h 40 min |
A private car carries the whole party and its cruise luggage from the quayside to a Dubai hotel door. Allow 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours at peak on Sheikh Zayed Road. Our Dubai to Abu Dhabi transfer page covers the same road in reverse, and the AUH to Dubai guide explains the coast road traffic.
Cruising the other way? Our guide to the Mina Rashid cruise terminal covers Dubai’s port. Both are on our cruise terminal transfers page.
A shore day in Abu Dhabi by private car
| From Zayed Port to | Road distance | Without traffic |
|---|---|---|
| Louvre Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat | about 7 km | about 9 min |
| Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque | about 21 km | about 20 min |
| Yas Island | about 28 km | about 23 min |
With 6 or 7 hours between docking and all-aboard, a car can cover the Grand Mosque, the Corniche and the Louvre in one loop. Our Abu Dhabi city tour by private car is built for this, and the Grand Mosque visitor guide covers entry and dress. More ideas are in places to visit in Abu Dhabi, and Yas Island is covered in the AUH to Yas and Saadiyat guide.
Agree the return time with your chauffeur so you reach the terminal at least an hour before the ship’s all-aboard time. Pickups at Zayed Port run through our partner network, subject to availability.
Sir Bani Yas and other Abu Dhabi cruise stops
Sir Bani Yas Cruise Beach is AD Ports’ second cruise facility, on Sir Bani Yas Island in Al Dhafra. A jetty opened in February 2022 so two ships can berth together, replacing tender boats from about 1 km offshore.
Guests spend the day on the island and reboard, so there is no car pickup. If your cruise starts or ends in Abu Dhabi, book from Zayed Port. A January 2026 report expected 174 calls across both facilities in 2025 to 2026, and we found no official 2026 to 2027 call list, so send us your ship and date. See also our UAE airports guide.
Photos in this guide
The waterfront at Zayed Port in Abu Dhabi, with the Saadiyat Bridge behind the quayside sheds and ferriesEdgar El / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
The Abu Dhabi skyline at sunset, seen from the Corniche promenadeFritzDaCat / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
The Louvre Abu Dhabi name wall at the entrance on Saadiyat IslandDavide Mauro / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
The white domes and minarets of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi under a clear skyTanya Hart (arripay) / Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0
