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    Travel Info

    Dubai

    Getting There & Away

    Dubai International Airport (DXB) is the busiest airport in the Middle East. The national carrier is Emirates, which flies to some 45 destinations in the Middle East, Europe, Australia, Africa and the Indian subcontinent. For all the talk of free markets, air fares out of the UAE are just as strictly regulated as anywhere else; there are no bucket shops. Dubai International Airport has no separate airport departure tax; it’s included in the price of your ticket.

    Buses run from Dubai to other parts of the UAE and surrounding countries. One useful bus route runs to Hatta from the Deira bus station. To get to most other cities in the Emirates, take a Dubai Transport minibus. There are two buses a day to Muscat, Oman. Balawi Bus Service runs to Jordan twice weekly and to Egypt on Wednesdays.

    Long-distance taxis can take you to any other emirate on a shared or ‘engaged’ basis (which means you’ll either have to wait until all five seats are filled or pay for them yourself). Settle the price before you leave.

    Passenger ferries make the 12-hour trip between Sharjah (a 20-minute drive from Dubai) and the port of Bandar-e Abbas in Iran daily. There’s also a fortnightly passenger service in between Dubai and Bushehr in Iran. It leaves the passenger terminal at Port Rashid every second Sunday.

    You can fly to almost anywhere from Dubai International Airport (tel: 224 5555, flight inquiries 206 6666). Dubai is the base for Emirates Airlines (tel: 214 4444, fax 204 4040; DNATA Airline Centre, Al-Maktoum Rd, Deira).

    Dubai Transport’s minibuses carry 14 passengers and run every 15 or 20 minutes depending on when they fill up. They are clean and efficient, and have fixed prices. Minibuses leave Deira from the bus and taxi station near the intersection of Omar ibn al-Khattab and Al-Rigga Rds. Minibuses for Abu Dhabi and Al-Ain leave from the Bur Dubai bus station on Al-Ghubaiba Rd.

    Rates for car hire drop away the longer you are willing to rent the vehicle. You’ll need a credit card and drivers licence. There are dozens of agencies listed in the phone book; the smaller ones may offer slightly better rates.

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    Getting Around
    Buses run between Dubai International Airport and Deira bus station every 15 to 20 minutes, and there are metered, beige-coloured Dubai Transport taxis. Although they can’t serve the airport, there are scores of private taxis in all shapes and colours. As these aren’t metered, you may need to haggle a bit for your fare.

    Local buses run from the Deira bus station, near the Gold Souq, and the Bur Dubai station on Al-Ghubaiba Rd. Monthly bus passes, known as taufeer , get you unlimited travel on one or the other side of Dubai Creek or, more expensively, throughout the city.

    Driving in the city of Dubai is considered an extreme sport, but masochists love it. If you must hire a car, bring your credit card and a copy of your passport. Note that all accidents, no matter how small, must be reported to the police.

    The older parts of Dubai, with their souqs, fascinating architecture and museums, are best seen on foot. Abra (water taxi) crisscross Dubai Creek from early morning until around midnight, and are a great way to see the waterfront.

    Local buses operate out of stations in both Deira and Bur Dubai. The Deira bus station is off Al-Khor St, near the intersection with Al-Soor St. There is also the Bur Dubai bus station on Al-Ghubaiba Rd. Numbers and routes are posted on the buses in English as well as Arabic. Free route maps are available at both bus stations. The best way to get to where you’re going is just to say where you want to go and someone will point you to the right bus. Tell the bus driver where you’re going and he’ll tell you when to get off.

    Abras leave constantly from early morning until about midnight. There are two routes. The one closer to the mouth of the Creek runs between Bur Dubai Abra Dock and Deira Old Souq Abra Dock, while the other is between Dubai Old Souq Abra Dock and Sabkha Abra Dock. The fare is collected once you are out on the water.

    Dubai has a large taxi fleet, many of which will beep you if they see you walking. Nearly all have meters. There are a handful of non-metered taxis, with which you’ll have to negotiate a fare. You can also call Dubai Transport (tel: 208 0808) for a taxi. Only the sand-coloured Dubai Transport taxis are allowed to pick up passengers at the airport.

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