Abu Dhabi Airport to Dubai: every way from Zayed International (AUH)

Abu Dhabi Airport, now called Zayed International Airport (AUH), is 90–130 km from Dubai, about 1 to 1.5 hours by road. You can take the hourly Airport Express bus to Ibn Battuta for AED 35, the free Etihad shuttle if you flew Etihad, an airport taxi at roughly AED 195–250, or a pre-booked car.

The airport was renamed from Abu Dhabi International on 9 February 2024, and every airline now uses Terminal A. A lot of Dubai-bound travellers land here because the fare was better or they’re on Etihad. We meet those flights with our Abu Dhabi to Dubai limo transfer; here’s how every option compares, so you can decide before you land.

How far is Abu Dhabi Airport from Dubai?

AUH sits on the Dubai side of Abu Dhabi city, so it’s closer to Dubai than the Corniche is. From the terminal you take the E10 onto the E11 and head north-east.

From Zayed International Airport to	Road distance	Drive, light traffic
Expo City / Dubai South	about 87 km	about 1 hour
Al Maktoum International (DWC)	about 90 km	about 1 hour 10 min
Dubai Marina / JLT	about 93–97 km	about 1 hour
Palm Jumeirah (Atlantis)	about 103 km	about 1 hour 10 min
Business Bay / Downtown Dubai	about 111–113 km	about 1 hour 15 min
DXB airport	about 127 km	about 1 hour 25 min

Traffic changes those times more than distance does. Landing at 7 am or 5 pm on a weekday puts you into Dubai’s peak on Sheikh Zayed Road, so add 20 to 30 minutes. Landing after 9 pm, the drive to the Marina can take under an hour.

How do I get from Abu Dhabi Airport to Dubai?

There are five ways, and the right one depends on your ticket, your bags and where in Dubai you’re staying.

Option	Cost	Where it goes in Dubai	Time	Good to know
Airport Express bus	AED 35 per person	Ibn Battuta Bus Station	About 1.5 h	Hourly, around the clock; ticket online or at the airport counter
Etihad Shuttle	Free on Etihad-operated flights	Al Wasl Centre, Sheikh Zayed Road	About 75 min	Book ahead with your Etihad booking reference
Airport taxi, metered	About AED 195–250 plus tolls	Your door	1–1.5 h	AED 20 start plus AED 1.82 per km
Uber or Careem	Upfront app price, varies with demand	Your door	1–1.5 h	Follow the app’s pickup instructions at the terminal
Private chauffeur	Fixed, see the rate table on our route page	Your door	1–1.5 h	Meet and greet in arrivals, flight tracked, waiting included

The taxi tariff comes from Abu Dhabi Mobility’s published fares. Etihad lists its free shuttle on its Etihad Shuttle page, with the Dubai stop behind the Safestway supermarket at Al Wasl Centre.

Is there a bus from Abu Dhabi Airport to Dubai?

Yes. The Airport Express runs from Zayed International Airport to Ibn Battuta Bus Station in Dubai every hour, day and night, for AED 35. The ride takes about 1.5 hours. Ibn Battuta Bus Station is next to Ibn Battuta Metro Station on the Red Line, so you can carry on by metro or taxi from there.

Two points before you rely on it:

• It isn’t paid with Nol. Buy the ticket online or at the counter in arrivals.
• It stops at one place in Dubai. If your hotel is in Deira or near DXB, you still have about an hour on the metro, or 40 minutes by taxi, after the bus.

Older guides also list the RTA bus E102 via the airport. RTA’s customer account posted in June 2026 that route E102 would be permanently suspended from 29 June 2026, so check the RTA S’hail app before planning around it.

Is there a free shuttle from Abu Dhabi Airport to Dubai?

Only for Etihad passengers. The Etihad Shuttle is free when you fly on an Etihad-operated flight to or from Abu Dhabi, and it runs between the airport and Al Wasl Centre on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai in about 75 minutes. Seats have to be booked ahead with your booking reference, and codeshare flights operated by another airline don’t qualify.

Some Etihad fares go further and include a private chauffeur to any address in the UAE. Check your ticket class first; our Etihad chauffeur service guide explains who qualifies and how to book it.

How much is a taxi from Abu Dhabi Airport to Dubai?

About AED 195 to Dubai Marina, AED 225 to Downtown and AED 250 to DXB, before tolls and waiting. Airport taxis at AUH start at AED 20 and charge AED 1.82 per km, the same per-km rate as Abu Dhabi’s city taxis.

Tolls add a little: the Darb gate at Ghantoot on the E11 charges AED 4 at any hour, and Dubai’s Salik gates on Sheikh Zayed Road charge AED 4.20–6.30 each (VAT included) depending on the time. If you’d rather know the full price before you land, a fixed-price transfer includes those. Our guide to the Dubai to Abu Dhabi taxi fare has the full meter breakdown in both directions.

What happens when you book a private car from AUH

This is how our airport pickups at Zayed International work:

1. Send us your flight number. We track the flight, so an early or late landing moves the pickup automatically.
2. Your chauffeur waits in arrivals. They stand in the Terminal A arrivals hall with a name board.
3. Free waiting covers the slow days. You get 45 to 60 minutes free after landing, which is usually enough for immigration and bags.
4. The chauffeur takes the bags. They walk you to the car and load the luggage.
5. One price, no meter. Fuel, Salik, Darb, airport parking, 5% VAT, water and Wi-Fi are all in the fixed fare, with no surcharge for night flights.

Choose the car by head count and bags first, then budget. Up to three people with normal bags fit a sedan. Four or more, or anyone with a pram and big suitcases, belongs in an SUV or a Mercedes V-Class van, which seats six.

Dubai to Abu Dhabi Airport: how early should you leave?

Count back from the time your airline wants you at the terminal, usually 2 to 3 hours before an international departure, then add the drive and a traffic buffer. If your airline asks for 3 hours, leave Dubai Marina about 4 hours 30 minutes before departure, Downtown about 4 hours 45 minutes before, and Deira about 5 hours before.

Leaving from	Distance to AUH	Allow for the drive, with buffer
Dubai Marina / JLT	about 93 km	1 h 15 min – 1 h 30 min
Downtown / Business Bay	about 113 km	1 h 30 min – 1 h 45 min
DXB airport area / Deira	about 127 km	1 h 45 min – 2 h

Leaving between 4 and 8 pm on a weekday? Add 30 minutes. For the full Dubai to Abu Dhabi picture, including the bus and Etihad Rail, read our guide to the Dubai to Abu Dhabi distance and travel time. The outbound transfer is on our Dubai to Abu Dhabi chauffeur page.

Frequently asked questions

How do I go from Abu Dhabi Airport to Dubai?

Take the Airport Express bus to Ibn Battuta for AED 35, the free Etihad Shuttle if you flew on an Etihad-operated flight, a metered airport taxi (about AED 195–250), or a pre-booked private car. The drive takes about 1 to 1.5 hours depending on where you’re going in Dubai.

How much is a bus from Abu Dhabi Airport to Dubai?

The Airport Express costs AED 35 per person and runs hourly around the clock from Zayed International Airport to Ibn Battuta Bus Station in about 1.5 hours. You buy the ticket online or at the airport counter, not with a Nol card.

Is there a free shuttle from Abu Dhabi to Dubai?

Yes, for Etihad passengers only. The Etihad Shuttle is free on Etihad-operated flights and runs from the airport to Al Wasl Centre on Sheikh Zayed Road in about 75 minutes. Book your seat ahead using your Etihad booking reference.

How much is a taxi from Abu Dhabi Airport to the city?

Airport taxis start at AED 20 and charge AED 1.82 per km. To central Abu Dhabi that’s usually AED 70–90. To Dubai it’s about AED 195 for the Marina and AED 225 for Downtown, plus tolls and any waiting time.

What are the bus timings from Zayed Airport to Ibn Battuta?

The Airport Express leaves every hour, 24 hours a day, and takes about 1.5 hours to Ibn Battuta Bus Station. Timetables can change, so check the airport’s transport page on the day you fly.