Getting from Al Maktoum airport into Dubai
Al Maktoum International, also called DWC or Dubai World Central, is Dubai’s second airport, out in Jebel Ali. Of the airports on our UAE transfer routes, it’s the one where a booked car makes the biggest difference, because the terminal has no Metro station.
You land, clear passport control and walk out of customs into the one arrivals hall. We haven’t found an official chauffeur meeting point at DWC, so our driver stands in the hall with a name board and we send the driver’s details on WhatsApp before you land. More on the terminal itself is on our Al Maktoum airport transfer page.
From the terminal there are three ways into the city. Sheikh Zayed Road (E11) runs north-east for the Marina, JLT and the Palm. Emirates Road (E611) and then Umm Suqeim Street are OpenStreetMap’s line for Downtown. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road (E311) and 2020 Boulevard take you to Expo City.
Al Maktoum airport to Dubai transfer times by landing hour
| You land | Salik | Dubai Marina (38 km) | Downtown Dubai (54 km) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1am-6am, any day | free | 35-40 min | 46-55 min |
| Mon-Sat, 6am-10am | peak rate | 45-60 min | 60-80 min |
| Mon-Sat, 10am-4pm | off-peak | 35-50 min | 50-65 min |
| Mon-Sat, 4pm-8pm | peak rate | 45-60 min | 60-80 min |
| Sunday, all day | flat rate | 35-50 min | 46-65 min |
The lower figure in each range is OpenStreetMap’s clear-road time, run on 12 October 2026. The upper figures are typical allowances for traffic, not promises. Salik’s peak hours are a fair guide to when Sheikh Zayed Road and the roads into the centre fill, and late evenings sit between the two.
Which gates you pass depends on the line. Sheikh Zayed Road carries the Jebel Ali gate near Ibn Battuta and, further in, the Al Barsha and Al Safa gates; Emirates Road and the E311 carry none. Our Salik and Darb toll guide has the detail, and your fare is fixed before the trip whichever way the driver goes.
Which part of Dubai you’re heading for
The Al Maktoum airport to Dubai transfer gets longer the further north-east your hotel is. Dubai Marina and JLT are the nearest big districts at 36-38 km. Atlantis on the Palm is about 45 km, around 43 minutes clear. Expo City is closest of all, about 20 km, which makes DWC handy for Dubai Exhibition Centre shows such as Automechanika (10-12 November 2026) and GITEX Global (8-11 December 2026).
Downtown Dubai is about 54 km, with Business Bay next door. Deira and the old town around the Creek are the far end, around 60 km, not far short of DXB itself at 62 km. For those addresses, the morning rush is the window to avoid. If you’ll need a car with driver for meetings once you’re in, our chauffeur service in Dubai can be booked in the same message.
Bus, Metro or taxi from DWC
Dubai Airports’ advice is to connect to DWC through Ibn Battuta or Expo 2020 Metro stations, by RTA bus or taxi, and its DWC page lists bus F55 to the EXPO station. That’s a bus, a train and possibly another taxi, and the Metro allows only two bags per person, hand luggage included. Fine for one light traveller with time. Hard work for a family.
Dubai Taxi serves DWC, with cabs booked through the Bolt app, and the meter runs to the city like any airport taxi. A private car booked ahead suits anyone with a group, heavy luggage, a night arrival or no interest in finding an app pickup point.
Dubai to DWC for your flight home
The reverse run is the same road, with Dubai’s traffic at the start of the trip instead of the end. A Marina pickup at 7am on a weekday still means the morning peak on Sheikh Zayed Road, so we add margin for any departure between 6am and 10am. Flying on to DXB rather than leaving Dubai? See the Dubai airport to Al Maktoum airport transfer, which covers the connection in both directions.
DWC also sits closer to Abu Dhabi than many visitors expect: Zayed International is about 87 km away. The Al Maktoum airport to Abu Dhabi page covers that run, and our intercity transfers reach every other emirate.
Cars for families and groups arriving at DWC
DWC’s biggest market is the CIS: 497,000 of its 915,000 passengers from January to September 2025 flew from there, on a mix of low-cost, charter and seasonal flights. Travelling as a group? A Toyota HiAce takes ten with seven large cases, the Mercedes Sprinter twelve with nine, and a Toyota Coaster 21. A family of five with luggage fits the Mercedes V-Class, and a couple with two cases rides well in a business sedan such as the Lexus ES. Child seats are available on request; tell us ages when you book.
