Safe transport for women in Dubai: solo travellers from the airport to the hotel

Is it safe for women to take taxis and chauffeurs alone in Dubai?

Dubai is generally considered safe for women travelling alone. The risk to manage is not crime on the street but the choice of car. Stick to licensed vehicles: a metered taxi from the rank, a ride booked in an app, or a chauffeur booked in advance.

Unmarked cars offering a ride at the kerb outside the terminal are the ones to refuse. Our guide to licensed and unlicensed taxis in the UAE explains how to tell them apart. For the wider picture, see how safe Dubai is for visitors.

What are Dubai’s ladies and families taxis?

Dubai Taxi runs a pink-roof service driven by female drivers. Its page says all families and ladies, of any nationality, can use it. The taxis wait at Terminals 1, 2 and 3 at Dubai International, at Al Maktoum International (DWC) and at Port Rashid. The page also mentions hospitals and malls, “upon availability”.

To book:

• Use the Bolt, S’hail or Careem app.
• Hail one on the road.
• Call the Dubai Taxi centre on 800 88088 or the RTA centre on 800 90 90.

There are few of these cars compared with the whole taxi fleet. After a long-haul night flight, do not count on one being free. Book ahead or have a second plan.

Can you request a female chauffeur?

It depends on the company and the date. Assure does not promise a female chauffeur on this page. Ask on WhatsApp with your date and flight number, and we tell you plainly whether we can assign one. If we cannot, you hear that before you pay, not at the kerb.

What you can always ask for is the driver’s name, the car model and the plate, sent to you before pickup. Our chauffeur service and car with driver pages show how a booking is confirmed.

Late-night arrivals at DXB: how to plan the ride

Many long-haul flights reach Dubai International after midnight. Plan this part before you leave home.

1. Book the transfer from DXB to your hotel before you fly, using your flight number so the driver follows the real landing time.
2. Save the dispatcher’s WhatsApp number. Ours is +971 56 684 8148, answered 24/7.
3. Expect the driver in the arrivals hall of your terminal, after customs, holding a board with your name. Emirates flights use Terminal 3, covered in our Terminal 3 arrivals guide.
4. Message the dispatcher if you cannot find the driver. Do not wander to the car park with a stranger.

More on this in late-night arrivals in Dubai and on our airport transfers page. How the greeting works is explained in Dubai airport meet and greet.

What to check before you get in

• The name on the driver’s board matches your booking.
• The car model and plate match the message you were sent.
• The driver can tell you your hotel name without reading it from you first.
• A taxi shows a meter and a driver ID card. In a ride-hail car, the app shows the same plate as the car.
• Share your trip details with a friend or family member for the length of the ride.

If any of these do not match, do not get in. Message the dispatcher or the app support line.

Women-only sections on the Dubai Metro and tram

Every Dubai Metro train has a cabin for women and children, marked with pink signage. News reports say men who enter it can be fined. The cabin has moved along the train before, so follow the signs on the platform and check the RTA website or app for current rules before you rely on it.

The Metro is cheap, but it stops running at night, and a hotel can be a long walk from a station in summer heat. For late arrivals a booked car is the simpler choice. Compare options in chauffeur, taxi or Uber in Dubai.

Who to call if something feels wrong

• 999: Dubai Police, for an emergency.
• 901: Dubai Police non-emergency line.
• Dispatcher: if you booked with Assure, message or call on WhatsApp, 24/7.

Keep your hotel address in English and Arabic on your phone. To see how a booking works from the first message, read how to book a chauffeur on WhatsApp.