Dubai to Abu Dhabi: distance, travel time and every way to get there
Dubai to Abu Dhabi is about 140 km and 1h15–1h45 by car. Distances by area, drive times by hour, tolls, and bus, train, taxi and private car compared.
Chauffeur operations specialist, Dubai · Updated · 10 min read
The Dubai to Abu Dhabi distance is about 140 km by road, and the drive takes 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes on the E11 depending on where you start and the time of day. The bus costs AED 25, Etihad Rail starts at AED 39 from 30 September 2026, and a metered taxi runs to roughly AED 300 or more.
We run the Dubai to Abu Dhabi chauffeur transfer, so the times below are the ones our dispatch team plans pickups around. “Dubai” and “Abu Dhabi” are both big places, though. Dubai Marina to Yas Island is a short hop; Deira to the Abu Dhabi Corniche is a proper drive. Start with the table that matches your trip.
How far is Dubai from Abu Dhabi?
The straight-line distance between the two city centres is about 125 km. By road it’s 90 to 160 km, because the answer depends on which end of each city you mean. Southern Dubai (Marina, JLT, Jebel Ali) sits much closer to Abu Dhabi than Deira or the DXB airport area.
These are driving distances on the fastest route, measured in our route checks:
| From (Dubai) | To (Abu Dhabi) | Road distance | Drive, light traffic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai Marina / JLT | Yas Island | about 92 km | about 1 hour |
| Dubai Marina / JLT | Saadiyat Island (Louvre) | about 115 km | about 1 hour 10 min |
| Dubai Marina / JLT | Abu Dhabi Corniche | about 127 km | about 1 hour 20 min |
| Downtown Dubai | Zayed International Airport (AUH) | about 113 km | about 1 hour 15 min |
| Downtown Dubai | Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque | about 129 km | about 1 hour 25 min |
| Downtown Dubai | Abu Dhabi Corniche | about 148 km | about 1 hour 35 min |
| DXB airport / Deira | Abu Dhabi Corniche | about 157–161 km | about 1 hour 45 min |
In miles, the headline figure of 140 km is about 87 miles.
How long does it take to drive from Dubai to Abu Dhabi?
Plan on 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes for most trips, and up to 2 hours when you leave at a weekday rush hour or start in Deira. The motorway itself is rarely the problem. The slow parts are getting out of Dubai on Sheikh Zayed Road and getting onto Abu Dhabi island over the bridges.
This is what we allow for Downtown Dubai to the Abu Dhabi Corniche when we set a pickup time:
| Departure time (weekday) | What we allow | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 5:30–7:00 am | 1 h 30 min | Roads clear leaving Dubai; the bridges into Abu Dhabi fill from 7 am |
| 7:00–9:30 am | 1 h 45 min – 2 h | Sheikh Zayed Road queues and bridge traffic on the Abu Dhabi side |
| 9:30 am – 3:30 pm | 1 h 35 min – 1 h 45 min | The easiest window of the day |
| 3:30–8:00 pm | 1 h 45 min – 2 h | Both cities’ evening peaks; heaviest heading back into Dubai |
| After 8:00 pm | 1 h 30 min | Quiet, except concert and race nights on Yas Island |
| Saturday and Sunday | 1 h 30 min – 1 h 45 min | Lighter commuting, busier around malls and Yas |
Take 10 to 15 minutes off for Dubai Marina, and add 10 minutes for DXB or Deira. If you’re catching a flight from AUH or have a meeting at ADNEC, give us the time you must arrive and we’ll work back from it.
Which road goes from Dubai to Abu Dhabi: E11 or E311?
Two main roads carry you out of Dubai toward Abu Dhabi, and the choice is mostly about where you start.
- E11 (Sheikh Zayed Road): the coastal route past Jebel Ali and Ghantoot, becoming Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Road on the Abu Dhabi side. It’s the shortest line from Downtown, the Marina and Palm Jumeirah.
- E311 (Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road): runs inland through Dubai, parallel to the E11. It has no Salik gates and suits pickups from Mirdif, Silicon Oasis, Dubai Hills or DXB.
Tolls on the way are small but add up:
| Toll | Where | Charge |
|---|---|---|
| Salik (Dubai) | Gates on Sheikh Zayed Road such as Al Safa, Al Barsha and Jebel Ali | AED 6.30 at peak (6–10 am, 4–8 pm, Monday to Saturday), AED 4.20 off-peak, free 1–6 am (VAT included) |
| Darb Ghantoot gate (Abu Dhabi) | On the E11 near the Dubai border | AED 4 per crossing, 24 hours, since 4 May 2026 |
| Darb bridge gates (Abu Dhabi) | Sheikh Zayed, Sheikh Khalifa, Al Maqta and Musaffah bridges onto the island | AED 4 at 7–9 am and 3–7 pm, Monday to Saturday; free on Sundays and public holidays |
The Darb peak hours come from Abu Dhabi Mobility’s Darb fees page. In our cars the tolls are part of the price, so you never see a separate charge. Our guide to Salik toll gates in Dubai covers the Dubai side in more detail.
What is the best way to get from Dubai to Abu Dhabi?
It depends on your budget, your luggage and where you’re going in Abu Dhabi. Here’s every option side by side.
| Option | Cost, one way | Door to door | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| RTA bus E101 (Ibn Battuta to Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station) | AED 25 on Nol | 2–2.5 h including getting to the bus | Solo travellers, light bags |
| RTA bus E100 (Al Ghubaiba to Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station) | AED 25 on Nol | 2.5–3 h | Bur Dubai and Deira starts |
| Capital Express CX01 (Al Quoz to MBZ City Bus Station) | AED 25 | About 1.5 h on board, plus connections | Commuters heading to MBZ City |
| Etihad Rail (Al Yalayis to Mohamed bin Zayed City) | From AED 39 Comfort, AED 109 Premium | 2–3 h including station transfers | Cabin-bag travellers, from 30 Sep 2026 |
| Dubai taxi, metered | Roughly AED 300–370 plus tolls | 1 h 20 min – 1 h 45 min | Short-notice trips |
| Uber or Careem | Shown upfront in the app, changes with demand | 1 h 20 min – 1 h 45 min | Comparing a quote before you go |
| Private chauffeur | Fixed, see the rate table on our route page | 1 h 20 min – 1 h 45 min | Families, luggage, business, day trips with waiting |
The bus routes and Nol fares are listed on the RTA intercity e-ticketing page, where you can also book a seat on E100 and E101.
A few things the table can’t show:
- The train doesn’t go to the Corniche. Mohamed bin Zayed City station is about 30 km from the Corniche, so you’ll need a feeder bus, a taxi or the AED 10 station shuttle for the last leg. Our Etihad Rail Dubai to Abu Dhabi guide covers times and fares.
- The taxi figure is meter maths, not a quote. Dubai Taxi publishes AED 2.45 per km, plus waiting at 50 fils a minute. The full breakdown is in our Dubai to Abu Dhabi taxi fare guide.
- A private car waits for you. For a day trip we keep the car with you, so the return leg is covered. Published Dubai rate cards (September 2026) put a business sedan with driver at AED 500–850 for a half day and AED 600–1,300 for a full 10-hour day, and many operators add AED 125–200 when the car leaves Dubai.
Travelling as four with suitcases? Book an SUV, not a sedan. A GMC Yukon or Cadillac Escalade seats six and takes four large bags.
What can you see in Abu Dhabi on a day trip?
Abu Dhabi rewards a planned day. Most visitors pick two or three of these:
- Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque: free to visit, but you register for a visit online first on szgmc.gov.ae. Visitor hours start at 9 am Saturday to Thursday, and Friday hours differ. Shoulders and legs covered; women also cover their hair.
- Louvre Abu Dhabi: on Saadiyat Island. Galleries open 10 am to 6:30 pm Monday to Thursday and to 8:30 pm Friday to Sunday.
- Qasr Al Watan: the working presidential palace, open to visitors, next to Emirates Palace at the end of the Corniche.
- Yas Island: Ferrari World, Warner Bros. World, Yas Waterworld and the Yas Marina Circuit, all within a few minutes of each other and closest to Dubai.
- The Corniche: the city’s long waterfront, with beaches and parks, good for an hour before the drive home.
A one-day plan from Dubai to Abu Dhabi
This is the plan we usually suggest for a family or couple starting in Downtown or the Marina:
- Leave Dubai at 8:30 am. You miss the worst of the morning peak and reach the Grand Mosque around 10 am.
- Grand Mosque, 10:00–11:30 am. Bring your visit registration on your phone. The chauffeur drops you at the visitor centre and waits.
- Lunch, 12:00–1:30 pm. Saadiyat or the Corniche, 20 to 25 minutes from the mosque.
- Louvre Abu Dhabi, 1:45–4:00 pm. Two hours covers the main galleries.
- Corniche or Qasr Al Watan, 4:15–5:30 pm. Sunset from the Corniche breakwater works well from October to March.
- Head back at 6:30 pm or later. Leaving after the evening peak saves 20 to 30 minutes, and you’re home before 8:30 pm.
With children, swap the Louvre and the Corniche for an afternoon on Yas Island. It’s on the way home, which shortens the drive back. For the full day in one car, see our chauffeur service in Abu Dhabi and the Dubai to Abu Dhabi transfer rates. Coming the other way, from an Etihad flight into AUH? Read Abu Dhabi Airport to Dubai.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a taxi from Dubai to Abu Dhabi?
A metered Dubai taxi costs roughly AED 300–370 to central Abu Dhabi, based on Dubai Taxi’s published AED 2.45 per km for 125–150 km, before waiting time and tolls. Dubai Marina to Yas Island is closer to AED 230. Taxis from Abu Dhabi back to Dubai are cheaper, because Abu Dhabi’s meter runs at AED 1.82 per km.
What is the cheapest way to travel from Dubai to Abu Dhabi?
The RTA intercity bus at AED 25 one way. Route E101 from Ibn Battuta is the quickest, at about 1.5 hours to Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station, and E100 leaves from Al Ghubaiba. You need a Nol card. From 30 September 2026, Etihad Rail’s Comfort class from AED 39 is the next-cheapest option.
Is Abu Dhabi worth a day trip from Dubai?
Yes. The Grand Mosque and the Louvre Abu Dhabi alone fill a good day, and the drive each way is under two hours. Leave by 8:30 am, keep the car with you, and head back after 6:30 pm to miss the evening peak.
Can we go to Abu Dhabi with a Dubai visa?
Yes. A UAE visa issued on arrival in Dubai covers all seven emirates, and there’s no checkpoint or passport control between Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Carry your passport or Emirates ID anyway, since hotels and some attractions ask for it.
How much is a train from Dubai to Abu Dhabi?
Etihad Rail tickets from Al Yalayis in Dubai to Mohamed bin Zayed City in Abu Dhabi start at AED 39 in Comfort and AED 109 in Premium, with services starting 30 September 2026. The ride takes about an hour; allow extra time to reach Al Yalayis and to get from MBZ City into central Abu Dhabi.
Written by
Arshad HussainArshad Hussain has run chauffeur and limousine operations in Dubai since 2014: dispatch, fleet allocation, airport pickups and event transport.
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