Wheelchair-accessible transport in Dubai: ramp vans, transfer-friendly cars and airport assistance

Do you need a ramp van or a transfer-friendly car?

One question decides everything: does the passenger stay in the wheelchair for the journey?

• Stays in the chair: you need a vehicle with a ramp or lift that secures the chair. That is a specialist vehicle.
• Can transfer to a seat: a normal car works. The folded chair goes in the boot, and the chauffeur helps with the transfer.

Assure runs 10 own vehicles, including the Mercedes-Benz V-Class, GMC Yukon and Mercedes Sprinter. None of the vans or minibuses has a ramp or lift. We do not claim a ramp van through our partner network either. If your passenger must stay seated, we say so and point you to a specialist.

Which cars are easiest to get into?

Door width, seat height and a grab point matter more than the badge. We could not source seat heights from the makers, so we give no numbers.

• Mercedes-Benz V-Class: it has sliding side doors, as Mercedes-Benz pictures it. Some passengers find that easier than a sedan door.
• GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade: higher seats, so some passengers step up and others find a sedan lower to slide into. Ask a passenger which suits.
• Sedans such as the S-Class: lower to the ground, which suits some passengers and not others.

Say how far your passenger can walk, and the chauffeur picks the car accordingly. The V-Class and Sprinter comparison and our vans page show the vehicles.

Folding and powered wheelchairs: what fits in the boot

A folded manual chair counts as one large item in Assure’s planning. A sedan takes 2 large items, a V-Class about 4 with 6 aboard. A powered chair is heavy and may not fold, so send the weight and dimensions. For other bulky items, read the oversized luggage guide.

Dubai Taxi People of Determination taxis and specialist providers

The Dubai Media Office reports that Dubai Taxi runs a People of Determination Taxi service with vehicles equipped for wheelchair users, operating around the clock. In January 2024 it added a regular taxi booking for people of determination with non-motor disabilities, through the DTC app, with the same 50% discount. The discount is tied to the Sanad card.

We could not confirm current booking channels beyond the app, so check with Dubai Taxi. Dubai Airports recommends pre-booking wheelchair-accessible taxis at Terminal 3 Arrivals.

Assistance at DXB, DWC and Zayed International

• DXB and DWC: Dubai Airports gives wheelchair assistance from kerbside to gate, free of charge across the terminals. The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower lanyard is available at DXB and DWC terminals. The code on airline bookings is DPNA. No notice period is published on the page we checked, so ask your airline when you book.
• Zayed International: the airport has a Special Assistance page. Visit Abu Dhabi advises telling your airline or agent 48 hours before the flight. See our Zayed International transfers.

Your chauffeur waits inside the arrivals hall, because Dubai Airports has no pick-up area at Arrivals. Tell us when assistance is booked, and we time the meeting around it. More on airport transfers and the fleet.

What to tell us when you book

1. Whether the passenger stays in the chair or transfers to a seat.
2. Chair type, weight and folded size.
3. Number of passengers and bags. See the family transfer guide.
4. Flight, terminal and any airline assistance already booked.
5. Anything that makes the journey easier: a short walk, a quiet start, help with stairs.

Message +971 56 684 8148, 24/7. For groups, see van and group transport. The chauffeur car guide lists the whole fleet.