Dubai to Abu Dhabi Airport: bus, taxi or private car, and when to leave

How far is Abu Dhabi Airport from Dubai?

Zayed International (AUH) is the former Abu Dhabi International Airport, renamed on 9 February 2024 with the same AUH code. It sits on the mainland side of Abu Dhabi, so a Dubai drive never needs to cross onto the island. The closer you stay to Jebel Ali, the shorter the trip.

From in Dubai	Road distance to AUH	Without traffic
Ibn Battuta and Jebel Ali	about 90 km	59 min
Expo City Dubai	about 90 km	1 h 5 min
Al Maktoum International (DWC)	about 94 km	1 h 13 min
Dubai Marina and JBR	about 95 km	1 h 3 min
Al Barsha, by Mall of the Emirates	about 104 km	1 h 10 min
Palm Jumeirah, at Atlantis	about 105 km	1 h 13 min
Downtown Dubai and Business Bay	about 113 to 115 km	1 h 17 min
Bur Dubai, at Al Fahidi	about 122 km	1 h 23 min
Deira, at Al Rigga	about 123 km	1 h 24 min
Dubai International (DXB) Terminal 1	about 126 km	1 h 26 min

The figures come from the OSRM route planner on OpenStreetMap data, averaged over both directions and checked on 17 October 2026. They are free-flow times, so treat them as the floor.

From Dubai Marina, the car runs about 27 km on Sheikh Zayed Road to the emirate border near Ghantoot. The E11 then becomes Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Street for the last 61 km to the airport. From Downtown, the Sheikh Zayed Road part grows to about 48 km. Our page on airport drop-offs and pickups at Zayed International covers Terminal A itself.

Is there a bus from Dubai to the Abu Dhabi airport?

Two coaches connect Dubai with the airport, and neither starts at your hotel.

• Airport Express: links Terminal A with Ibn Battuta Bus Station in Dubai. The airport lists hourly departures from Terminal A around the clock, about 1 hour 30 minutes on the road. Confirm the Dubai to airport times on its transport page before a flight.
• Etihad coach: free for passengers on Etihad-operated flights on the same day. Seats are booked at least 24 hours ahead on etihad.com, from Etihad’s set pickup points in Dubai.

Ibn Battuta Bus Station is 90 km from the terminal, the shortest Dubai start on the list above. If you stay in Deira, you first cross the whole city to reach it. The public intercity buses between the two cities are covered in our Dubai to Abu Dhabi bus guide.

	Airport Express	Etihad coach	Dubai taxi	Private car with Assure
Where you board	Ibn Battuta Bus Station	Etihad’s Dubai pickup points	Your door	Your door
Who can use it	Anyone with a ticket	Passengers on Etihad-operated flights	Anyone	Anyone who books
What you pay	A coach ticket	Free for eligible passengers	The meter plus tolls	One quote for the car
Booking	Check the airport’s timetable	At least 24 hours ahead	Street hail or an app	WhatsApp, 24/7

What does a taxi from Dubai to AUH cost?

RTA does not publish a fixed fare for this trip. Its formula is the starting fare, plus a charge per kilometre, waiting time, Salik and the fee for crossing Abu Dhabi’s Darb gates. A street hail starts at AED 5 from 6am to 10pm and AED 5.5 at night. An app booking starts at AED 9 to AED 13, depending on the hour.

On the E11, the car passes the Ghantoot Darb gate on Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Street. Since 4 May 2026 it charges AED 4 per crossing, 24 hours a day. RTA says toll charges are billed to the passenger. Our guides to Dubai taxi fares and Salik toll gates explain both parts of the bill.

A private car has no meter. You get one price for the vehicle before you travel, so ask us whether it includes Salik and Darb. A group of 6 with luggage fits one GMC Yukon (3 large cases) or one Mercedes-Benz V-Class (4 large cases), where taxis would need two cars. The same road is on our Dubai to Abu Dhabi route page for trips into the city, and every way of making that trip is compared in how to get from Dubai to Abu Dhabi.

When should you leave Dubai for an AUH flight?

Work back from take-off. Take the time your airline wants you at Terminal A, add the drive, then add a margin for traffic and loading bags. Your airline’s check-in deadline is on your booking, and our departure timing guide works the same sum for DXB.

Abu Dhabi’s Darb toll system treats 7am to 9am and 3pm to 7pm, Monday to Saturday, as peak hours. The table adds 30 minutes off-peak and another 30 minutes in those windows. It assumes the airline wants you at the terminal 3 hours before departure, rounded up to the next quarter hour.

Leaving from	Drive without traffic	Leave before take-off, off-peak	Leave before take-off, peak hours
Ibn Battuta and Jebel Ali	59 min	4 h 30 min	5 h
Dubai Marina and JBR	1 h 3 min	4 h 45 min	5 h 15 min
Al Barsha or Palm Jumeirah	1 h 10 to 1 h 13 min	4 h 45 min	5 h 15 min
Downtown Dubai and Business Bay	1 h 17 min	5 h	5 h 30 min
Bur Dubai or Deira	1 h 23 to 1 h 24 min	5 h	5 h 30 min

A 2am flight from AUH with a 3-hour check-in plan means leaving Dubai Marina at about 9.15pm. That drive falls outside the evening peak, which ends at 7pm. A 7pm flight is the opposite case. Leaving the Marina at 2.15pm puts the second half of the drive inside the 3pm peak, so use the longer column and leave at about 1.45pm.

Can you check in before you reach AUH?

We could not find an Etihad check-in desk in Dubai on official pages in October 2026. Plan to check in at Terminal A, and use the check-in options on your Etihad booking before you set off. Some premium tickets include a car to the airport, and our guide to Emirates and Etihad chauffeur service explains how to check yours.

At the airport, cars stop in front of the Terminal A departures level and cannot be left unattended. Your chauffeur unloads the cases at the kerb before pulling away.

In Abu Dhabi, AD Ports listed Etihad check-in inside the cruise terminal at Zayed Port in 2023. That only helps if your trip ends on a ship in the capital. Our page on cruise terminal transfers covers that route.

Flying into DXB and out of AUH

Terminal 1 at Dubai International is about 126 km from Zayed International, roughly 1 hour 26 minutes without traffic. Al Maktoum International (DWC) is about 94 km away, 1 hour 13 minutes. Changing airports means entering the UAE, collecting your bags and checking in again at Terminal A.

Your chauffeur can meet you in the arrivals hall at Dubai International and drive straight to AUH departures. Send both flight numbers so the pickup follows your real landing time.

Booking the drive to AUH with Assure

Assure’s RTA licence covers drives that start in Dubai, so your AUH drop-off runs in one of our own cars.

1. Send your flight number, departure time, pickup address, passengers and large cases on WhatsApp (+971 56 684 8148).
2. We reply with a pickup time worked back from your flight, and a quote for the car.
3. On the day, your chauffeur messages you before arriving at your door.

For the trip home, read Abu Dhabi Airport to Dubai and what happens in the Terminal A arrivals hall. Every other UAE airport is in our guide to UAE airports.