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Atlantis Hotel, Dubai

© Creative Commons / PhareannaH[ holiday ] BZ

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United Arab Emirates

Travel to Dubai

Flying to Dubai

Airlines operating flights to Dubai from the UK include British Airways, Emirates, Virgin Atlantic, bmi and KLM.

Flight times: 

From London - 7 hours 45 minutes; New York - 14 hours 50 minutes; Los Angeles - 19 hours 55 minutes; Toronto - 14 hours 10 minutes; Sydney - 16 hours 15 minutes.

Travel by road

Summary:

The United Arab Emirates boasts an impressive network of first-class roads that connect major towns and villages, including a multi-lane highway between Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Driving in the UAE is on the right-hand side. Speed limits are clearly displayed on road signs and are usually 60-80kph (37-50mph) around town and 100-120kph (62-74mph) elsewhere. Certain minor traffic offences incur on-the-spot fines. The police must be called to any road traffic accident (no matter how minor) and those involved in the accident must remain at the scene with their vehicles.

A valid International Driving Permit, a valid national licence and a passport are required to drive in Dubai. Visitors from many European, North American and Pan-Asian countries can obtain a temporary local driving licence if they do not have an international licence - a valid national licence, passport and two passport-size photographs are required for applicants to obtain this. Drivers must be over 18 years old. Third party insurance is compulsory.

Arabian Automobile Association (tel: (04) 266 9989; www.aaauae.com) can provide further information.

Emergency breakdown service:

Arabian Automobile Association (tel: 800 4900).

Routes:

The main Emirate Route Numbers into Dubai are 77 from Jebel Ali, 88 from Sharjah, 44 from Wajajah, 66 from Al-Ain and 11 from Abu Dhabi.

Driving times:

From Al-Ain - 1 hour 15 minutes; Abu Dhabi - 1 hour 30 minutes; Muscat - 4 hours.

Coaches:

Buses for Muscat (capital of Oman) depart from the car park at the Airline Centre, Al-Maktoum Road, Deira (tel: (04) 203 3923). Tickets can be purchased from the driver or the Airline Centre. The Gold Souk Bus Station, off Al-Khor Street, and Al-Ghubaiba Bus Station, Al-Ghubaiba Road, are the main departure points for local and intercity services. Dubai Municipality (tel: 800 900; www.dm.gov.ae) can provide further information. There are also buses from Dubai to Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. Dubai Transport Corporation (tel: (04) 264 1111; www.dubaitransport.gov.ae) operates minibus services to the main cities of the UAE, but it is only possible for travellers to catch these once they are out of Dubai city.

Travel by rail

Services:

There are currently no railways serving Dubai.

Travel over water

Summary:

Dubai’s port (Jebel Ali Port and Port Rashid) is located 30km (18.5 miles) from the city centre and is the world's largest man-made port. A new government-owned Dubai Cruise Terminal located in Port Rashid was inaugurated in February 2010 to cater for the emirate’s increasing number of cruise tourists. The terminal has been designed to handle four ships simultaneously and cater to the increased number of cruise ship calls.

Ferry services:

Ferry services operate to ports in Iran from Sharjah, although these are not recommended for tourists and timetables are erratic. Plans have been mooted for a more developed and comprehensive regional ferry service but these are very much on the back burner at present.

Nearest port:

Dubai.

Transport to the city:

Taxis are the best way of getting into town. Dubai Cruise Terminal has its own taxi stand.

Transfer distance:

1km (0.6 miles).

Transfer time:

5 minutes.

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