By Mohammed Rashad Hussain, Managing PartnerPublished 4 min read
How do you get around Abu Dhabi without a metro?
There is no metro. Visitors choose between four options: a taxi, a ride-hailing app, a Hafilat-card bus, or a car with a driver. The city is spread along a coast, and the main sights are far apart. The Corniche is in the city centre, Saadiyat Island sits to the north-east, Yas Island is further east near the airport, and the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is on the road in from Dubai.
How much is a taxi in Abu Dhabi and how do you book one?
Abu Dhabi Mobility publishes the Silver taxi tariff:
| Charge | Day (6 am to 10 pm) | Night (10 pm to 6 am) |
|---|---|---|
| Flagfall | AED 5.00 | AED 5.50 |
| Per km | AED 1.82 | AED 1.82 |
| Waiting, per minute | AED 0.50 | AED 0.50 |
| Minimum fare | AED 12 | AED 12 |
| Booking fee | AED 4 | AED 5 |
| Airport pickup flagfall | AED 20 | AED 20 |
Book through the Abu Dhabi Taxi App, or hail one in the street. Payment by cash, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and PayBy is listed on the official page. Read the tariff page again before a long trip, because tariffs change.
Is Uber or a taxi cheaper in Abu Dhabi?
Neither always wins. The taxi follows the tariff above, so you can predict it. A ride-hailing app shows a fixed quote before you book, and that quote moves with demand. Check both for the same trip and hour. We did not verify which apps hold which licences, so confirm in the app. Our comparison of Uber, Careem and taxis in Dubai explains how to read an app quote.
Buses and the Hafilat card
City buses take a Hafilat card. The Anonymous Card costs AED 10 and is sold at ticket machines, partner stores and Customer Happiness Offices at bus stations and at the airport. Basic fare is AED 2 plus 5 fils per km. You can change bus free within 60 minutes if you tap on and off. A 7-day pass is AED 30 and a 30-day pass AED 95.
Buses suit a single-route day. They do not suit a visit to the mosque, Saadiyat and Yas in one afternoon.
Getting between Zayed International Airport, the Corniche, Saadiyat and Yas Island
Approximate free-flow distances from OpenStreetMap data:
| Route | Distance | Drive time without traffic |
|---|---|---|
| Zayed International to Abu Dhabi city centre | 41 km | 34 minutes |
| Zayed International to Yas Island | 19 km | 23 minutes |
| Abu Dhabi city centre to Yas Island | 31 km | 24 minutes |
| Dubai to Abu Dhabi city centre | 139 km | 88 minutes |
The airport is much closer to Yas than to the Corniche. Your hotel decides the cost. See Zayed International Terminal A arrivals for the pickup and airport transfers at Abu Dhabi AUH for the booking. For hotel areas, where to stay in Abu Dhabi compares them.
Darb tolls and parking in Abu Dhabi
Darb charges AED 4 per crossing from 7 to 9 am and 3 to 7 pm, Monday to Saturday, with no charge on Sundays and public holidays. Our Darb guide lists the gates, including the two that run round the clock. A hired car with a driver carries the toll on the vehicle.
When to book a car with driver for a full day
A car with a driver suits a day that has three or more stops: the mosque in the morning, the Corniche at midday, Saadiyat or Yas in the afternoon. The car waits at each stop and you skip the app queue. Assure arranges chauffeur service in Abu Dhabi and limousine service in Abu Dhabi. Local trips that start and end inside Abu Dhabi are quoted on request, and we confirm what applies to your route when you ask.
If you would rather see the city on a set route, the Abu Dhabi city tour covers the headline sights, and places to visit in Abu Dhabi helps you pick. Coming from Dubai, read how to get from Dubai to Abu Dhabi. The Dubai travel guide links the rest, and Dubai versus Abu Dhabi for a holiday helps you choose a base.
Photos in this guide
A silver National Taxi saloon with a yellow roof light parked in a taxi bay in Abu DhabiAravind Sivaraj / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
A white and teal city bus beside a bus stop on a palm-lined Abu Dhabi roadMosbatho / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
A toll gate gantry reading Al Maqta Bridge Toll Gate over an Abu Dhabi road, with the bridge arches beyondTotakan sugiar / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
