New to Abu Dhabi? It’s time to hop on public transport and explore. From buses to abras, escooters and bikes, there are loads of ways to get around the capital easily. There are strict social distancing measures in place and face masks must be worn while travelling on public transport in the UAE, so stay safe while you get out there and explore.
For everything you need to know about moving to Abu Dhabi, click here.
Abra Water Hopping Service
Take a water taxi along the stunning waters of Khor Al Maqta by getting in an wooden abra from the Souk Qaryat Al Beri (found inbetween the Shangri-La Abu Dhabi, Qaryat Al Beri hotel and Traders Hotel). The various routes take you along to The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal, Eastern Mangroves and Yas Island. Sights include the Shaikh Zayed Grand Mosque and some of the Grand Canal’s fanciest hotels, lush mangroves, the original Maqta fort and the swish yachts of Yas Island. It’s run by Captain Tony, who also operates eco-conscious boat tours from Yas Marina and is a good way to see the sights from the water.
Dhs25 (one-way), free (for children under six). Sun-Thu 4pm-10.30pm; Fri-Sat 10am-11pm.
Careem
A ride-hailing app that connects you with private hire drivers who can take you anywhere in the city you want. Download the app, sign up, add a payment method and away you go. Slightly more than the local taxis, but the drivers have GPS and the cars are often more modern.
Download the app for free from the Google Play Store (Andriod) or iTunes (Apple).
Cycling
The Cyakle bike-share scheme is akin to London’s “Boris Bikes” and other pick-up and drop-off cycle ventures. You can pick up any of the bikes casually, or sign-up to become a member. There are 300 bikes and more than 55,000 users in Abu Dhabi at the moment, and prices start from Dhs20 for a day. Pick one up from one of the dozens of stations between Yas Island and Emirates Palace, take a ride and drop it off when you’re done. Simple.
Dhs20 (one day), Dhs50 (three days), Dhs99 (one month). www.yasisland.ae.
E-scooters
You must have noticed all the electric scooters whizzing around various parts of the city by now, and we’re sure you’re keen to give it a go. E-scooter company Circ have scooters up for grabs on the Corniche, Yas Island and Masdar City, and they are super easy to use. All you need to do is download the Circ app, set up an account, load your account with credit and you’re ready to go. Geofencing means you won’t be able to ride it out of a defined area and you can leave it wherever you like within the area. E-scooter company Lime has also just arrived in Abu Dhabi with 300 scooters available to rent across the 8km stretch of the Corniche.
Various locations, including Yas Island, www.goflash.com or www.li.me.
Intercity buses
Head to Dubai, Sharjah, Al Ain, Liwa or Ruwais from the main bus station at Al Wadha Mall on Hazza Bin Zayed Street. A new route to Dubai has also been introduced which starts from Musaffah and also stops at Abu Dhabi International Airport. They are more comfortable than you might think, however they can take double the time of a car journey.
For more information, visit www.dot.abudhabi.ae/en and www.rta.ae.
Local buses
Abu Dhabi’s modern air-conditioned buses operate around the clock. While not many Western expats get them, there’s really no reason why as they’re cheap, reliable and can be found at all points of the city. There’s an app, DARB, that helps you plan your journey, including which buses will get you where you need to go and when. You can’t use cash on the buses, however, so you’ll need to pick up a Hafilat card from Al Wahda Central Bus Station before your first ride. You can load the card up with credit at bus shelters, malls, hospitals and more. Journeys start from Dhs2, but the fare will increase depending on how far you travel.
www.dot.abudhabi.ae/en.
Onak
Another ride-hailing and concierge app similar to Careem and Uber. As well as rides you can also use the service to grab shopping for you, book a cleaner, arrange wedding photography or fix your computer. There are different membership options, from pay-per-ride to monthly membership.
Download the app for free from the Google Play Store (Andriod) or iTunes (Apple).
Taxis
It’s really easy to hail a taxi while out and about in the city and most hotels will have concierge staff who can wave one down for you. But for more remote areas you should book one in advance using the The TransAD hotline (600 535 353). The starting fare from 6am to 10pm is Dhs5 and for every kilometre up to 50 kilometres it’s Dhs1.82. The minimum fare is Dhs12 per journey and the flagfall from the airport is Dhs20 for small vehicles. Starting fares after 10pm start at Dhs5.50. There are few more afforable ways to get around the city. Most drivers are extremely friendly and know their way around the city, but be sure to keep an eye out as some might say they know where they’re going but are new to Abu Dhabi and will benefit from some guidance. We recommend always asking for a receipt as it’ll have all the driver and car details on should you need to contact them again. Try to make sure you always have change rather than Dhs100 or Dhs200 notes, as drivers will probably not be able to give you change from notes of that size.
For more information go to www.visitabudhabi.ae.
Uber
Probably the biggest ride-hailing service in the world. Uber returned to Abu Dhabi in late 2018 after a break in service for a couple of years. For those familiar, it offers the same range of services you find elsewhere. Cars that come to you, use GPS, the ability to pay direct from the app and a variety of vehicles that cost different amounts depending on the size of the car. It’s also good to keep an eye out for regular discount codes sent to users, expecially as the base price is a little more than the local taxis.
Download the app for free from the Google Play Store (Andriod) or iTunes (Apple).
U Drive
This handy service lets you rent cars by the minute and pick up and drop off the cars from any standard Mawaqif public parking or free parking areas in Abu Dhabi. If you don’t want to commit to buying a car or renting one out long term, this scheme could be just what you need. To get started all you need to do is sign up on the U Drive website, and download the app to locate, reserve and open a car parked near you.
For more information visit www.udrive.ae.
