Buses & Intercity Connections
The public bus network in the UAE is surprisingly well developed and dirt cheap:
🚌 City Buses Dubai (RTA)
Over 100 bus lines complement the Metro network and reach areas not covered by the Metro (e.g., Jumeirah, Palm Jumeirah, Al Quoz). Same NOL Card as the Metro. All buses are air-conditioned and modern. Fare: 3–5 AED (0.75–1.25 EUR).
🚌 Intercity Buses
Affordable connections between all emirates:
- Dubai ↔ Abu Dhabi: Bus E100/E101, every 20 min., duration 2h, price 25 AED (6 EUR). Departure: Ibn Battuta or Al Ghubaiba Bus Station.
- Dubai ↔ Al Ain: Bus E201, hourly, duration 2h, price 25 AED (6 EUR).
- Dubai ↔ Sharjah: Bus E303/E306, every 15 min., duration 30–60 min., price 10 AED (2.50 EUR).
- Dubai ↔ Fujairah: Bus E700, several times daily, duration 2.5h, price 25 AED (6 EUR).
- Dubai ↔ Ras Al Khaimah: Bus E700, duration 2h, price 25 AED (6 EUR).
- Dubai ↔ Hatta: Bus E16, several times daily, duration 1.5h, price 15 AED (3.75 EUR).
🚆 Etihad Rail
The UAE is building a national railway network. The first route (Abu Dhabi ↔ Al Dhannah, 264 km) has been operational since 2024, with passenger connections planned to link all emirates by 2027 — including a high-speed line Dubai ↔ Abu Dhabi in under 50 minutes.
💡 Tipp
The intercity buses Dubai ↔ Abu Dhabi are the best way to commute between the two cities: comfortable, air-conditioned, Wi-Fi on board, and for only 25 AED (6 EUR). A taxi for the same route costs 250–300 AED (62–75 EUR).