Sharjah Airport to Dubai: distance, traffic, taxi fares, buses and private transfers
Sharjah Airport to Dubai: distances by area, rush-hour traffic, taxi fares with the AED 20 Dubai fee, the bus via Al Jubail, and fixed-price transfers.
Chauffeur operations specialist, Dubai · Updated · 8 min read
Sharjah International Airport (SHJ) is about 28 km by road from Deira, 38 km from Downtown Dubai and 58 km from Dubai Marina. With clear roads that’s 25 to 50 minutes by car; at rush hour on the Sharjah to Dubai roads, allow well over an hour. A Sharjah taxi to Deira costs roughly AED 90, and the cheapest route is two buses via Al Jubail for about AED 20.
Sharjah is Air Arabia’s home airport, and plenty of travellers heading to Dubai land there because the fare was right. The catch is the drive. We run airport transfers across the UAE and a full chauffeur service in Sharjah, and SHJ trips are the ones where traffic matters most. Here’s what each option costs, verified on the official tariffs in September 2026.
How far is Sharjah Airport from Dubai?
SHJ sits on the eastern side of Sharjah, off Al Dhaid Road (E88). Most routes into Dubai run south on Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road (E311), then cut west through Al Khail Road or Sheikh Zayed Road depending on where you’re going.
These are road distances on the fastest route, measured in our route checks. The ranges run from a clear road to a normal weekday rush hour.
| Sharjah Airport to | Road distance | Typical drive |
|---|---|---|
| Sharjah city (Al Majaz) | about 19 km | 20 to 35 min |
| Ajman | about 18 km | 20 to 35 min |
| DXB Terminal 2 | about 21 km | 20 to 45 min |
| DXB Terminals 1 and 3 | about 26 km | 25 to 50 min |
| Deira | about 28 km | 25 to 55 min |
| Downtown Dubai / DIFC | about 38 km | 35 to 70 min |
| Business Bay | about 40 km | 35 to 70 min |
| Madinat Jumeirah / Al Barsha | about 51 to 53 km | 45 to 80 min |
| Dubai Marina / JLT | about 58 to 60 km | 50 to 90 min |
| Palm Jumeirah (Atlantis) | about 62 km | 55 to 90 min |
| Al Maktoum International (DWC) | about 77 km | 65 to 100 min |
Why the Sharjah to Dubai drive is so unpredictable
The roads between Sharjah and Dubai are a major commuter corridor. Many people live in Sharjah and work in Dubai, so the pattern is lopsided: slow into Dubai on weekday mornings, slow back towards Sharjah in the late afternoon and evening. A flight landing at SHJ at 7 a.m. meets the morning jam head-on; the same drive at 11 a.m. is easy.
Practical rules we plan around:
- Arriving on a weekday morning: plan on the top of the ranges in the table above if you’re heading into central Dubai, and don’t book a meeting for the hour after landing.
- Flying out of SHJ on a weekday evening: leave Dubai earlier than the distance suggests. The outbound queues build from late afternoon.
- Weekends and late nights: the drive is usually close to the clear-road time.
Our Dubai rush hour guide goes into the timings in more detail.
Taxi from Sharjah Airport to Dubai
Sharjah Taxi runs the taxi stands at the arrival level, around the clock. Fares are metered, and Sharjah Taxi’s published tariff for trips from the airport is:
| Component | Sharjah Taxi, from Sharjah Airport |
|---|---|
| Meter start | AED 20 |
| Distance | AED 0.25 per 155 metres (about AED 1.61 per km) |
| Trips to Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Al Ain | Extra AED 20 |
| Service fee | AED 3.50 per trip |
| Waiting | First 10 minutes free, then 50 fils per minute |
| Tolls | Paid by the passenger |
Put together, that’s roughly:
| From SHJ by Sharjah Taxi to | Estimated fare |
|---|---|
| Dubai International (DXB) | about AED 85 |
| Deira | about AED 90 |
| Downtown Dubai | about AED 105, plus Salik |
| Dubai Marina | about AED 140, plus Salik |
Family and ladies-only taxis are available too, and Sharjah Taxi runs a limousine service from outside arrivals, according to Sharjah Airport.
Taxi fare from Dubai to Sharjah Airport
Going the other way, you’ll usually take a Dubai Taxi. Dubai Taxi charges a starting fare of AED 5 on the street (AED 5.50 at night) or AED 9 to 13 when booked through an app, then AED 2.45 per km, plus an extra AED 20 for trips into Sharjah and any Salik tolls.
| From Dubai to SHJ by Dubai Taxi | Estimated fare |
|---|---|
| Deira | about AED 95 to 105 |
| DXB (airport taxi from the rank) | about AED 100 to 115 |
| Downtown Dubai | about AED 115 to 125, plus Salik |
| Dubai Marina | about AED 165 to 175, plus Salik |
Add waiting time at 50 fils a minute. On a slow evening, that’s the part of the fare that grows.
Bus from Sharjah Airport to Dubai
There’s no direct public bus from SHJ into Dubai. The budget route has two legs, both on official services:
- Sharjah Airport to Al Jubail. Mowasalat’s Route 99 runs between the Sharjah Airport terminal and Jubail Terminal in Sharjah city, roughly every 20 minutes for most of the day and every 2 hours overnight. The fare is AED 9 in cash or AED 7 with a Sayer card.
- Al Jubail to Dubai. RTA’s intercity buses leave from Sharjah’s Al Jubail Bus Station. The E308 goes to Stadium Bus Station in Dubai for AED 12 per trip, and the E303 goes to Union in Deira. RTA buses need a Nol card.
Total: about AED 20 and 1.5 to 2 hours, more in rush hour. It works with a backpack. With two suitcases, it’s hard going.
There’s also a coach, but check before you rely on it. Sharjah Airport’s transport page lists an Air Arabia coach to Al Ghurair Centre in Deira at AED 20, leaving the airport between 8 a.m. and 11.30 p.m. Air Arabia’s own shuttle page, checked in September 2026, instead lists a free shuttle between the airport and City Centre Al Shindagha with a single daily departure in each direction, bookable at Air Arabia sales shops. Ask Air Arabia which one is running for your date.
Private transfer from Sharjah Airport
A private car makes a lot of sense on this route, for one reason: you’re paying a fixed price, so a 90-minute crawl doesn’t cost more than a 35-minute drive.
What you get with us:
- A chauffeur at the SHJ arrivals exit with a name board, tracking your flight.
- 45 to 60 minutes of free waiting after landing.
- A fixed price that includes fuel, Salik tolls, parking and VAT. No surge pricing, no night surcharge.
- The right size of car. For four people and checked bags, book a luxury SUV rather than a sedan.
Staying in Sharjah itself? We do local pickups and hourly hire inside the emirate too. The rate table on our Sharjah chauffeur page has the prices.
Sharjah Airport to Dubai: every option compared
| Option | Cost into central Dubai | Time | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bus: Route 99 + E308 or E303 | about AED 20 | 1.5 to 2 h+ | Solo travellers with light bags |
| Air Arabia coach | AED 20 or free, depending on the service running | varies | Air Arabia passengers, daytime |
| Sharjah Taxi | about AED 90 (Deira) to AED 105 (Downtown), plus Salik | 25 to 70 min | Couples, short notice |
| Private chauffeur | Fixed price, all-inclusive | 25 to 70 min | Families, business travellers, early-morning and late-night arrivals |
For the reverse trip and the rest of the Sharjah corridor, see our Dubai to Sharjah guide. To compare metered and fixed fares from Dubai’s own airports, read Dubai airport taxi fare vs private transfer.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a taxi from Sharjah Airport to Dubai?
Based on Sharjah Taxi’s tariff (AED 20 meter start, about AED 1.61 per km, AED 20 extra for Dubai and a AED 3.50 service fee), expect roughly AED 85 to DXB, AED 90 to Deira, AED 105 to Downtown and AED 140 to Dubai Marina. Salik tolls and waiting time in traffic are added on top.
Is there a metro from Dubai to Sharjah Airport?
No. The Dubai Metro doesn’t run into Sharjah. The public transport route is an RTA intercity bus from Dubai to Al Jubail Bus Station in Sharjah (for example the E303 from Union or the E308 from Stadium Bus Station), then Mowasalat’s Route 99 to the airport. Allow 1.5 to 2 hours.
Is there a bus from Sharjah Airport to Dubai?
Not a direct public bus. Take Mowasalat Route 99 from the airport to Jubail Terminal (AED 9 cash, AED 7 with a Sayer card), then an RTA intercity bus to Dubai, such as the E308 (AED 12) or E303. Air Arabia also runs coaches for its passengers; check its website for the current route and times.
How long does it take from Dubai to Sharjah Airport?
From Deira or DXB, 25 to 55 minutes. From Downtown Dubai, 35 to 70 minutes, and from Dubai Marina, 50 to 90 minutes. The long end of each range is weekday rush hour, when traffic leaving Dubai for Sharjah is heavy from late afternoon. For an evening flight, leave early.
What is the cheapest way to get from Sharjah Airport to Dubai?
Two buses: Mowasalat Route 99 to Al Jubail, then an RTA intercity bus to Dubai. It costs about AED 20 in total but takes 1.5 to 2 hours and suits light luggage. For three or four people sharing, a taxi costs not much more per person and saves an hour or more.
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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