Why an emirate-to-emirate trip is harder than it looks
Each emirate runs its own taxis and its own rules. A metered Dubai taxi adds AED 20 when the trip passes through Sharjah, according to Dubai Taxi’s own fare page. Intercity buses mean getting yourself and your bags to a bus station first. And on a long run, a meter keeps ticking through every jam on Al Ittihad Road.
An intercity transfer, one of our chauffeur and transfer services, is one car from your door to the address you’re heading for, at a fare fixed before you leave.
Dubai to Abu Dhabi by private car
This is the classic UAE intercity run, and it has two sensible roads. The E11 is Sheikh Zayed Road through Dubai: about 55 km from the Trade Centre Roundabout to the Abu Dhabi border near Jebel Ali, with Salik gates including Al Barsha and Jebel Ali along the way. The E311, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road (Emirates Road until 2013), runs further inland and was built to pull heavy traffic away from central Dubai.
From Downtown or Dubai Marina, the E11 is the direct line. From Mirdif or Dubai Silicon Oasis, the E311 usually makes more sense. Downtown Dubai to central Abu Dhabi is about 142 km, roughly 1 hr 30 min on clear roads. Yas Island is closer, about 114 km.
At the Abu Dhabi end, Darb applies at peak times. If your route crosses a Darb gate, arriving after 9 am avoids the morning charge. If you’re flying in rather than starting from a Dubai address, see the Dubai airport to Abu Dhabi transfer. For the trip back, the Abu Dhabi airport to Dubai route covers the reverse, and our chauffeur service in Abu Dhabi handles local trips once you’re there.
How an intercity transfer works
- Send the pickup address, drop-off, date, time, number of passengers and bags on WhatsApp.
- We reply with a fixed fare for the car that fits.
- The driver arrives at your door. At a home or hotel the first 15 minutes of waiting are free, at an airport 60 minutes.
- You ride door to door, with any stops you asked for.
Emirate to emirate distances and drive times
| Trip | Road distance | Clear-road drive | Related airport routes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Downtown Dubai to Sharjah centre | 24 km | about 25 min | Dubai airport to Sharjah, Sharjah airport to Dubai |
| Downtown Dubai to Ajman | 45 km | about 40 min | Dubai airport to Ajman |
| Dubai Marina to central Abu Dhabi | 122 km | about 1 hr 15 min | Al Maktoum airport to Abu Dhabi |
| Downtown Dubai to Al Ain | 135 km | about 1 hr 35 min | Dubai airport to Al Ain |
| Downtown Dubai to Ras Al Khaimah | 108 km | about 1 hr 20 min | Dubai airport to RAK, RAK airport to Dubai |
| Downtown Dubai to Fujairah | 120 km | about 1 hr 30 min | Dubai airport to Fujairah, Fujairah airport to Dubai |
| Sharjah to central Abu Dhabi | 163 km | about 1 hr 50 min | Sharjah airport to Abu Dhabi |
| Sharjah to Ras Al Khaimah | 87 km | about 1 hr | Sharjah airport to Ras Al Khaimah |
| Central Abu Dhabi to Al Ain | 162 km | about 1 hr 40 min | Abu Dhabi airport to Al Ain |
Distances are city centre to city centre, calculated from OpenStreetMap road data, and the times assume free-flowing traffic. Rush hour adds to every one of them, most of all between Dubai and Sharjah.
Tolls between emirates: Salik and Darb
Two toll systems matter on intercity runs, and neither has booths. Dubai’s Salik has ten gates. Since 31 January 2025 it has charged by time of day, from free overnight to AED 6 at peak, with AED 4 at most other times. Pass both Al Mamzar gates on Al Ittihad Road in the same direction within an hour and you’re charged once, which matters on the Sharjah run.
Abu Dhabi’s Darb charges AED 4 per crossing from 7 to 9 am and 3 to 7 pm. Sundays and public holidays are free, and there’s no daily cap (Abu Dhabi Mobility). Our Salik and Darb toll guide has the gate-by-gate detail.
Crossing between emirates: no border, a few changes
There are no border posts between emirates. Nobody checks documents when the E11 leaves Dubai for Abu Dhabi. What changes is the toll system and the local taxi company. In Dubai, a chauffeur car may only carry passengers who booked in advance, which is one more reason to book the whole trip before you set off.
Choosing a car for a long run
For a 90-minute run, the rear seat matters more than the badge. Two executives heading to meetings in Abu Dhabi will work better in an S-Class or 7 Series. A family of five with luggage should book the V-Class, not a sedan.
| Car | Passengers | Large suitcases | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lexus ES | 3 | 2 | Solo business trips and couples |
| Mercedes-Benz S-Class | 3 | 2 | Executives working on the way |
| BMW 7 Series | 3 | 2 | The S-Class alternative for long runs |
| GMC Yukon Denali | 6 | 4 | Families who prefer an SUV |
| Mercedes V-Class | 6 | 5 | Families with heavy luggage |
| Toyota Hiace | 10-12 | 7 | Groups and teams |
Bigger groups move to minibuses through our group transportation service.
Timing tips by corridor
Between Dubai and Sharjah, commuter traffic flows into Dubai in the morning and back out in the evening. Travel against it if you can, or let the driver take the E311 instead of Al Ittihad Road. Our Sharjah chauffeur service covers trips that start there.
Heading north, the E311 runs through Sharjah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain before it reaches Ras Al Khaimah, so a RAK trip is mostly one long road. Fujairah is different: the route crosses the Hajar Mountains to the east coast, and our Fujairah chauffeur service is there for the return.
Ramadan changes the clock. Private-sector working hours drop by two hours a day, so rush hour shifts with them. Ramadan 2027 is expected to run from about 8 February to 8 March, depending on the moon sighting, so allow extra time for runs near iftar in those weeks.
What sets the fare
We don’t publish a price list. The fare depends on distance, the car, the tolls on your route at your time of travel, waiting time and stops, and whether it’s one way or a same-day return. Send the details and you’ll have a fixed fare back. If you’re still weighing a taxi against a booked car, our taxi vs private transfer guide sets out the trade-offs.
