Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2027: getting to ADNEC from Dubai

The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2027 is listed for Saturday 17 to Monday 26 April 2027 at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, back in spring after the 2026 fair moved to September. From Dubai, it’s a 75-minute to 2-hour drive. For families and school groups, a car or minibus to the entrance is simpler than parking and the walk across ADNEC.

Plenty of visitors come for the day from Dubai. We run Dubai to Abu Dhabi chauffeur transfers for exactly that trip, and minibuses for schools and reading clubs. This guide covers the dates, which have moved around more than usual, and how to get there and back.

When is the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2027?

The fair’s dates need a closer look than most. The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), which organises ADIBF for the Department of Culture and Tourism, published a five-year schedule that put 2026 in April. The 35th edition was then moved to 13–18 September 2026, according to the Abu Dhabi Media Office.

For 2027, the ADIBF website lists 17–26 April 2027. ALC’s older schedule had 24 April to 3 May, so if you saw those dates elsewhere, that’s why. We’re working to the fair’s own site and will check again in March.

Edition	Dates	Venue	Status
ADIBF 2026 (35th)	13–18 September 2026	ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, Halls 1–7	Held; moved from April
ADIBF 2027 (36th)	Sat 17 – Mon 26 April 2027	ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi	Listed on the ADIBF website
ADIBF 2028	Not confirmed	–	ALC’s earlier schedule said 22 April – 1 May 2028

In 2026 the fair opened 9am to 10pm, with the entrance on President Joko Widodo Street, and entry was free with a ticket claimed through the fair’s app. The 2027 hours and entry terms haven’t been published yet.

Who goes to the fair

ADIBF is trade and consumer at once. Publishers, agents and translators do business in the halls, while families, students and readers come for book signings, talks and children’s sessions. Expect the family crowds in the evenings and over the two weekends, when parking is tightest.

Plan your transport around who’s travelling. A publisher at the fair all ten days needs a different booking from a family going on one Saturday.

Getting to ADNEC from Dubai: your options

Option	How it works	Good for	Watch out for
Chauffeur from your door	Fixed price, Salik and Darb tolls included; drop at the entrance, car waits	Families, groups with bags of books	Book the return too; 10pm closings are busy
Drive yourself	The fair advises parking lot A or B; ADNEC sells online parking for A and B with a QR code	Confident drivers on a weekday	Weekend parking pressure; QR needed to enter and leave
Intercity bus, then local bus	RTA bus from Dubai to Abu Dhabi, then a local bus or taxi; ADNEC is on bus route 040	One person on a budget	Two legs each way; slow with children
Taxi	Dubai meter one way, an Abu Dhabi taxi back	Short-notice trips	Two separate rides and a queue at the Aloft rank at closing time

ADNEC’s getting here page lists route 040, the taxi rank at the adjacent Aloft hotel entrance, and TransAD bookings on 600 53 53 53. For the Dubai end of the bus and train options, our Dubai to Abu Dhabi distance and travel time guide compares them all.

School and family groups

A class of 25 in three family cars is three sets of parking, three arrival times and three drives home. One minibus or coach does it in a single trip. We arrange vehicles from 12 to 53 seats through our bus rental in Abu Dhabi service, collected at a Dubai or Abu Dhabi school, with the driver waiting at ADNEC until the group is ready.

For seven to 12 people, a van does the same job with more flexibility: see our van rental with driver options, from the six-seat V-Class to a Toyota HiAce.

Four things make a group day work:

• Agree a meeting point inside. Pick it before anyone goes in, and make it near the entrance you were dropped at.
• Count heads at the vehicle, not in the hall. The driver can’t leave until everyone’s on board.
• Time the return before 3:30pm or after 8pm on a weekday. In between, the drive back to Dubai can take up to 2 hours.
• Leave space for books. A coach with a luggage hold swallows boxes easily; a minibus without one fills up fast.

Carrying books home

It sounds trivial until you’re carrying a box of hardbacks across a car park. If you’re buying for a school library or a family of readers, book an SUV or a V-Class rather than a sedan and tell us when you book. The chauffeur meets you at the entrance, so the boxes travel about ten metres instead of the length of the car park.

When to leave Dubai

The 2027 hours aren’t out yet. Based on 2026’s 9am opening:

You want to	Leave Downtown Dubai	Leave Dubai Marina or JLT
Arrive at opening on a weekday	7:00am	7:15am
Arrive mid-morning, after the rush	9:30am	9:45am
Arrive on a Saturday or Sunday	Any time; lighter commuting	Any time

Weekend roads are lighter, and the Darb bridge gates onto Abu Dhabi island don’t charge on Sundays. The Ghantoot gate on the E11 charges AED 4 at any hour. In our cars, those tolls are inside the fixed Dubai–Abu Dhabi price either way.

A publisher or exhibitor at the fair all ten days is better off staying in Abu Dhabi and using our chauffeur service in Abu Dhabi by the hour. ADNEC’s other big public show, ADIHEX, follows the same pattern each August. Our Dubai events calendar shows what’s on in Dubai during the fair.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair held?

At ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, the exhibition centre on Khaleej Al Arabi Street. The 2026 edition used Halls 1–7, with the entrance on President Joko Widodo Street. The fair’s visitor page puts ADNEC about 20 minutes from Zayed International Airport, and it’s 75 minutes to 2 hours from Dubai by car.

When is the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2027?

The ADIBF website lists 17–26 April 2027 at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi. An older schedule from the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre gave 24 April to 3 May 2027, before the 2026 fair moved to September, so check the official site before booking travel.

Is entry to the Abu Dhabi book fair free?

In 2026 it was: visitors claimed a free entry ticket through the fair’s official app. The 2027 entry terms haven’t been published yet. If you’re travelling from Dubai with a group, sort out tickets before the day so nobody is stuck at the door.

Is there parking at ADNEC for the book fair?

Yes. The fair recommends parking lots A or B, which are closest to the halls. ADNEC sells online parking for car parks A and B: you register your plate and receive a QR code by email, which you need to get in and out. Parking doesn’t include event entry.

Can I get to the Abu Dhabi book fair from Dubai by bus?

Yes, in two legs. Take the RTA intercity bus from Dubai to Abu Dhabi, then a local bus or taxi to ADNEC, which is served by bus route 040. It’s the cheapest option but slow. For a family or group, a private car or minibus from your door is far simpler.