How to get around Dubai

Dubai stretches over 40 kilometres along the coast of the Persian Gulf and to cover such large distances, the government has developed a solid transport network that allows you to get from one place to another without having to walk long distances, which is almost unmanageable in this city.

If you're planning a trip to the city in the coming months, don't miss this little guide on how to get around Dubai easily. You'll make the most of your time and won't miss out on anything there is to do and see in Dubai. Let's get started!

Whether you are travelling to Dubai for business or pleasure, the easiest and most convenient way to explore the city if you are visiting for the first time and are short on time is by taking a guided tour of Dubai, showing you the main sights to see in Dubai in a single day.

These types of tours are designed for visitors to get to know the city in a relaxed way in the company of a local guide who will explain in detail everything you are seeing.

Why choose a guided tour of Dubai?

You won't have to worry about planning the logistics of getting around, i.e. finding the routes to the various tourist attractions, finding out the best means of transport, finding out about itineraries and connections, getting tickets, and so on. Everything is taken care of in detail so that you can get around Dubai without worrying about anything - just enjoying yourself!

What will you see on these guided tours of Dubai?

These types of tours usually last a full day (about 8 hours) and during the tour you'll be shown the contrast between the old and the new side of Dubai, so you can get an overall idea of the city.

They usually include such emblematic tourist attractions as the Burj Khalifa, the Jumeirah Mosque, the Burj Al Arab, the Dubai Museum and the Al Fahidi Fort, among others. As for the Dubai neighbourhoods usually covered by these guided tours, they are:

• Al Bastakiya: one of the oldest in the city and shows the splendour of past eras in its buildings and the Bur Dubai Souk.
• Dubai Creek: a very pleasant place to stroll along. It can be crossed from one side to the other in abras, a traditional dubai boat.
• Deira: the old part of the city. On a tour of Deira you can visit places such as the Gold and Spice Souk, Al Mamzar Beach Park and Heritage House.
• Jumeirah: this is the favourite residential area for foreigners and the most popular beach area in the city.

The metro is the most widely used means of transport in Dubai, as it quickly connects the most important places in the city. It operates fully automatically and the system stretches for 75 kilometres.

At the moment it consists of two lines (red and green) which are divided into more than 40 stations, although more are planned for the future.

Red Line

Crosses the city from north to south, starting at Dubai International Airport and ending at Jebel Ali, while passing important stations such as the Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall and Ibn Battuta Mall.

This line runs along Sheikh Zayed Road (the city's main thoroughfare), so the route runs between beautiful skyscrapers.

However, when you land at Dubai International Airport after a long flight, you may prefer to book a transfer from Dubai airport to get you to your hotel quickly and without waiting. If you're too tired to take public transport, this is one of the best Dubai travel tips I can give you.

Green Line

The Green Line runs parallel to Dubai Creek, starting at Deira and ending at Bur Dubai. This metro line passes through the most popular sights in both neighbourhoods.

Is it possible to transfer between the two lines?

Yes, if you ever need to change direction, you can transfer between the two lines at Bur Juman and Union Square stations.

How much does a metro ticket cost?

The Dubai Metro is not only modern, fast and clean but also cheap. A single journey can cost around €0.80, although the cost of a journey varies depending on the distance to your destination.

You can buy a single ticket or Nol Card at stations on the Dubai Metro network, at bus stations or at supermarkets such as Waitrose, Carrefour or Spinneys.

If you want to recharge your Nol Card, you can use the machines in the metro stations.

What are the opening hours of the Dubai Metro?

It operates every day of the week and stations are generally open during these hours:

• Saturday to Wednesday: 5 AM to 12 AM.
• Thursday: 5 AM to 1 AM
• Friday: 10 AM to 1 AM.

However, this may change on public holidays, so when planning your metro sightseeing trip, make sure you check the timetable for that day.

During rush hour, the frequency of the Dubai Metro is usually 5 minutes while the rest of the time it is 7 minutes.

What do you need to know about the Dubai Metro?

• You are not allowed to drink or eat on board. Anyone who does so may be fined by the guards who watch over the safety of the passengers.
• Each metro is divided into 3 compartments: first class (Nol Card Gold holders), women and other passengers.
• The stations are air-conditioned and have free Wi-Fi connection for passengers. In addition, there is full mobile coverage.
• You can take two pieces of luggage with you: a suitcase and a hand luggage.

An economical option for exploring Dubai is by bus. In recent years the fleet of vehicles has grown to accommodate the increasing volume of users and has been upgraded with new, comfortable cars to better suit their needs.

All of Dubai's bus stops are linked to the metro network, making it easy to plan a journey combining both modes of transport. Especially now that the bus stops have been transformed into a little air-conditioned oasis to help you cope with the city's tremendous heat.

How many bus lines are there?

Dubai's bus network has over 100 lines, including night buses (identified by the letter N and line number) and feeder buses connecting neighbourhoods to metro lines (identified by the letter F and line number).

How much does a bus ticket cost?

The cost of a single journey can be around €0.50, although the cost of the journey varies depending on the distance travelled.

As bus drivers in Dubai do not accept cash, you will need to purchase a Nol Card which is rechargeable and can be purchased from machines in the metro stations.

What are the bus timetables in Dubai?

They run every day of the week and operate from 4am to 1am except for the C01 route which operates 24 hours a day. The frequency of Dubai buses is 30 minutes.

What do you need to know about Dubai buses?

You are not allowed to eat or drink at bus stops, nor are you allowed to lie down on the seats while the bus is arriving. Such behaviour is punishable in Dubai by fines of varying amounts.

Another good way to get around Dubai is by taxi. Compared to taxi services in Western countries, Dubai's taxi service is quite affordable due to the low petrol prices in the country.

There are several taxi companies operating in Dubai, which you can distinguish by the colour of their roof, as the rest of the bodywork is always cream-coloured. Many of them are private (such as Careem or Uber) while one is public (Dubai Taxi Corporation).

The latter is controlled by the Dubai government and is the one most used by travellers for its safety. In this case, the roof is red and the fares are cheap.

How to use taxis in Dubai?

There are more than 50 taxi ranks throughout Dubai, especially around shopping malls, hotels, the airport and metro stations. If there are no vehicles available at a taxi rank, you can call the taxi rank to arrange for a taxi to pick you up (it takes no more than 30 minutes).

However, the RTA has launched an app called RTA Smart Taxi which allows you to book a taxi via your smartphone. It costs the same as booking by phone but tells you the name of the driver, his position and proximity to your location as well as the estimated time of arrival at your destination.

How much does it cost?

Taxis in Dubai operate with a meter that must be switched on at the start of the route. The flag-down charge is around €2 and the fare is around €0.50 per kilometre. However, the easiest way to find out how much your taxi journey will cost is to install the RTA S'hail app.

Just enter your starting point and destination and the app will calculate the approximate fare for the taxi service and even for other means of transport in Dubai such as the metro and bus.

What do you need to know about Dubai taxis?

• There are women-only taxis driven by female taxi drivers. They are known as 'Pink taxis' and cost about €1.45 during the day and about €1.69 from 10pm.
• Many of the taxi drivers are not locals but come from other countries and may not know the city well enough to identify an exact address. In these cases, when giving them the name of the place you want to go to, remember to mention a nearby tourist attraction so they have a reference.
• Not all Dubai Taxi Corporation taxis have a dataphone. On the other hand, vehicles from apps such as Uber and Careem do accept card payments.

Another way to get around Dubai is by boat. The city grew up on the banks of the Creek, a natural estuary that separates the historic districts of Bur Dubai and Deira. To cross back and forth, there are various forms of water transport, from abras (traditional wooden boats) and modern ferries to cruises on the Dubai Marina.

1. Abras

These are used to cross Dubai Creek. 0.48 and are paid in cash to the driver. They leave every few minutes, so the frequency is high. Riding a traditional abra will give you a beautiful view of the Creek.

2. Dubai Ferry

Run by the RTA, these are modern catamarans that allow you to see various sights of the city from the water as well as its stunning coastline. There are 6 routes but the most popular is the one from Al Ghubaiba to Dubai Marina, which shows some of the city's iconic landmarks such as Atlantis, the Burj Al Arab and the Burj Khalifa. The ticket costs around 3.60 euros and you can check the timetable on the official Dubai Transport website.

3. Dubai Marina Cruises

Adjacent to the Jumeirah Palm in the south of Dubai is the Dubai Marina district. Built around a man-made canal with access to the sea, it's home to an abundance of restaurants, shopping malls and luxury hotels.

A fun way to explore the area is to take a 60-90 minute boat cruise around the Dubai Marina, taking in the district's most iconic sites such as the marina, the artificial archipelago of Palm Jumeirah and the Burj Al Arab and Atlantis The Palm hotels, among others.

I recommend taking this Dubai Marina Cruise in the evening and then staying for dinner and a pleasant stroll around the area, as the atmosphere is very lively at sunset and the cityscape looks beautiful when lit up with coloured lights.

In a city like Dubai where the distances are so vast, a good way to get around is to ride the sightseeing bus as it allows you to travel comfortably seated from one point in the city to another while discovering its main tourist attractions.

Dubai sightseeing buses with free stops allow you to design your itinerary around Dubai to your liking and tour the city at your own pace, hopping on and off at any stop along the route. If you're only there for a short stay, it's a great way to explore Dubai.

To use the sightseeing bus you have to choose a day ticket (e.g. 1, 2, 3, 5 or 7 days) and during that period you can ride unlimited. The time of use starts from the first time you redeem the ticket.

How do I buy a ticket to travel around Dubai by tourist bus?

The fastest and most convenient way is to buy your ticket online in advance. At the end of your booking you will receive a voucher by email which you can redeem at any stop along the route.

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