“How do we get from Dubai to Abu Dhabi?” is the question I get more than any other about the capital. Since 30 September 2026 it has a new answer: the Etihad Rail passenger train. But the train, the bus and a car solve different problems, and the cheapest option on paper is not always the easiest one on the day.
I drive this road every week, with guests and in my own car. Here is an honest comparison of every way to make the trip without a car of your own: what it costs, how long it takes from your hotel door to the mosque, and where the catch is.
Checked on 25 October 2026 against official and news sources. Timetables and fares are new and still changing, so check the operator’s site the week you travel.
In short
| Distance | About 140–150 km between the city centres, on the E11 |
| Train (Etihad Rail) | About an hour on board, 3.5–4 hours door to door; from 39 AED plus metro and taxis |
| Bus (E100 / E101) | About 2 hours on board, around 3 hours door to door; 25–30 AED plus taxis |
| Taxi, Careem, Uber | 1.5–2 hours; about 390 AED for the car on the meter |
| Guide with a car | About 1.5 hours, no changes; priced per car, see the tour page |
| Main mistake | Thinking the train takes you to the centre |
The Etihad Rail train: fast, but not to the centre
I’ve been waiting for this train for a long time. Back in March 2022 I told my followers that Dubai and Abu Dhabi had their own railway, just without any passenger trains on it. Four years later, at the end of September 2026, passengers finally got on.
Stations. In Dubai the train leaves from Al Yalayis, in the Jumeirah Golf Estates area. A 400-metre covered footbridge with travelators links it to Jumeirah Golf Estates station on the Metro Red Line, about a five-minute walk, and free RTA shuttle buses run between the two. There’s a car park with 265 spaces (30 AED for five hours or more) and a taxi rank. In Abu Dhabi the train arrives at Mohamed bin Zayed City, opposite Dalma Mall and next to Musaffah bus station. That is the suburbs, not the Corniche.
Timetable. At launch there were five trains each way on weekdays:
- from Dubai: 6:14, 7:14, 13:14, 17:14, 18:14;
- from Abu Dhabi: 6:43, 7:43, 12:43, 16:43, 17:43.
The ride takes a little over an hour (The National gives 64 minutes). At weekends Etihad Rail has been adding extra trains, so the weekend timetable looks different; check the app for your date.
Tickets. Comfort from 39 AED, Premium from 109 AED. These are starting prices that rise as seats sell. Buy in the app or on the Etihad Rail website; the cheapest fare can’t be refunded or changed.
Catch one: the station is far from the sights. Etihad Rail runs 10 AED shuttles from the Abu Dhabi station to ADNEC, ADNOC headquarters on the Corniche and Reem Mall, booked with your ticket. There is no shuttle to Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Qasr Al Watan or the Louvre. The National estimates a taxi from the station at 15–20 minutes and 30–40 AED to the mosque, and 30–40 minutes and 60–75 AED to the Louvre. A free Yas Express shuttle to the Yas Island theme parks was announced on 21 October, with no start date yet.
Catch two: the last weekday train back is at 17:43. The Grand Mosque is at its most beautiful at sunset and after dark, when the lighting comes on, and Qasr Al Watan has an evening light show. You can’t do either and still catch the train. If you stay for the evening, you’ll come back by taxi.
Catch three: weekend seats sell out. On the first weekend, Premium seats on several Saturday trains went within about two hours and Etihad Rail added six extra services. A week later some cabins sold out in advance and peak fares were up to 40 AED higher (Premium 149 AED instead of 109). Booking opens 10 days ahead, so for a weekend buy on day one and keep the bus or a car as a backup.
Door to door. Khaleej Times timed the trip from Union Metro in Deira to central Abu Dhabi: 53 minutes on the metro, an hour on the train, then a shuttle and a city bus. That’s 3.5–4 hours and about 60 AED per person. The train is quick; getting to it and away from it is not.
The E100 and E101 buses: cheap and slow
RTA intercity buses run from early morning until late at night, usually every 20–30 minutes.
- E100 goes from Al Ghubaiba bus station in Bur Dubai to Abu Dhabi’s central bus station, about 2 hours 10 minutes according to the RTA planner.
- E101 leaves from Ibn Battuta, next to the metro station of the same name, about 1 hour 45 minutes. It suits you if you’re staying in Dubai Marina, JLT or on the Palm.
The fare is 25–30 AED as of October 2026 (sources differ), paid with a Dubai nol card; you can’t buy a ticket in advance. Check the current fare and times in the S’hail app or on rta.ae. Once you’re in Abu Dhabi, city buses run on a different card, Hafilat.
The bus also works for a concert. For an Enrique Iglesias concert in Abu Dhabi in October 2025, I suggested two options to my guests: the special bus from Ibn Battuta, or a private transfer whose driver waits after the show.
Taxi, Careem and Uber
An ordinary Dubai taxi will take you to Abu Dhabi on the meter. By Khaleej Times’ October 2026 calculation, that’s about 372 AED for 150 km, and 389–398 AED with Salik tolls, before waiting time and Abu Dhabi’s Darb road toll. Careem and Uber show the price before you book, and it’s higher at peak times.
Yas Island is cheaper because it’s closer to Dubai than central Abu Dhabi. In my notes for guests going to the Sting concert at Etihad Arena in April 2025, a taxi back to Dubai cost on average 50–70 US dollars.
Why the car wins in the UAE
The Emirates are not compact Europe, where you can walk from the station to the cathedral. I’ve been telling my followers this since 2018: here you plan the route, swap the metro for taxis and mostly forget about long walks, because the cities were built for cars. I ride the metro so rarely myself that in April 2023 I made a whole reel about it.
Abu Dhabi shows it best. The Grand Mosque, Qasr Al Watan, the Louvre on Saadiyat and the Yas theme parks are usually 15–30 minutes apart by car, and you can’t link them on foot. So an “independent” day there is really a train or bus plus three or four taxis, each one waited for in the heat.
Weather matters too. In February 2024, after heavy rain, my guests and I never reached Abu Dhabi: we got through two flooded stretches and at the third I turned back. It’s rare, but if a downpour is forecast, move the trip.
A realistic day: by train or with a guide
By train, for two adults without children.
- 6:30: metro from your hotel to Jumeirah Golf Estates, then across the bridge to Al Yalayis.
- 7:14: train; you’re in Mohamed bin Zayed City a little after 8:15.
- 8:30: taxi to Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, with a slot booked on the mosque’s site (tourist entry is now 10 AED).
- 11:00: taxi to Qasr Al Watan, then lunch.
- 14:00: taxi to Saadiyat and the Louvre.
- 16:30: taxi back to the station for the 17:43 train, in Dubai before 19:00, then the metro to your hotel.
It works, but with no slack in the timings, and you won’t see the mosque at sunset.
With a guide and a car. I pick you up from your hotel in my BMW X7, with no one in the car but you. We usually reach the mosque at opening, before the heat and the big groups, then the palace and the Louvre, in an order that fits your pace and the museum hours. You can stay for sunset or the palace show, because the drive back doesn’t depend on the last train. My Abu Dhabi day tour from Dubai takes 7–8 hours. If the museum is the point of your day, there’s also a dedicated Louvre Abu Dhabi tour. And if you only need a ride to Abu Dhabi without a tour, see my transfers.
For what to see and in what order, read my Abu Dhabi day trip from Dubai guide; for dress code and timing at the mosque, see my Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque tips.
When a guide with a car beats the train
- There are three or more of you. The car is shared; train tickets and taxis are per person.
- You have children. Changes, waiting for taxis in the heat and the metro with a pushchair wear everyone out before you reach the mosque.
- You want sunset at the mosque or the show at the palace. The last weekday train at 17:43 rules it out.
- You only have one day in Abu Dhabi. Without changes you’ll see more in the same time, and more calmly.
- It’s summer. From May to September, waiting for a taxi outside the station at 40 °C is no fun.
If you’re travelling alone and light to see one place, say the Louvre or a Yas theme park, the train or bus is a sensible, inexpensive choice. The same goes for a long layover: my Abu Dhabi layover tour post explains when it’s worth leaving the airport at all.
Common mistakes
- Expecting the train to take you to the centre. Mohamed bin Zayed City is far from the mosque and the Corniche; budget for taxis.
- Trying to buy weekend train tickets the day before. Saturday and Sunday seats sell out days ahead, and sales open only 10 days before travel.
- Forgetting the last train. On weekdays it leaves Abu Dhabi at 17:43.
- Turning up at the mosque without a booking. Book a slot on the mosque’s official site; on Fridays visitors can come 9:00–11:30 and 14:30–20:30.
- Counting on nol in Abu Dhabi. City buses there use the Hafilat card.
- Trying to tick off other emirates the same day. All seven in a day means 6–7 hours in the car, and the trip turns into a drive.
For everything I offer in the capital, see my Abu Dhabi page, and if the museum is your main reason to go, read Louvre Abu Dhabi with a guide.
Let me help you plan it
Send me your dates, the area of your hotel in Dubai, how many of you there are and whether you have children, and what you’d like to see in Abu Dhabi. I’ll tell you honestly where the train makes sense and where it’s easier to come with me by car, and I’ll shape the day so you see the essentials without rushing.
Sources
- Gulf News: Etihad Rail Dubai to Abu Dhabi tickets, fares and timings (29 Sep 2026)
- Khaleej Times: what Dubai to Abu Dhabi costs by train, bus, car and taxi (4 Oct 2026)
- Khaleej Times: Etihad Rail adds weekend services as tickets sell out (2 Oct 2026)
- Khaleej Times: peak-hour pricing and weekend sellouts (8 Oct 2026)
- Khaleej Times: Etihad Rail timings, parking and shuttles (3 Oct 2026)
- Khaleej Times: free Yas Express shuttle from the Abu Dhabi station (21 Oct 2026)
- Gulf News: Etihad Rail to Metro pedestrian bridge opens (15 Oct 2026)
- The National: getting to Al Yalayis and reaching Abu Dhabi (30 Sep 2026)
- The National: from the Abu Dhabi station to Yas, Saadiyat and other attractions (29 Sep 2026)
- The National: Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque visitor entry fee (17 Sep 2026)
- Abu Dhabi Mobility: Hafilat card
- Etihad Rail
- RTA Dubai
Practical answers
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest way to get from Dubai to Abu Dhabi without a car?
For one or two people travelling light, the Etihad Rail train from Al Yalayis (from 39 AED) or the E100 and E101 buses (25–30 AED). Neither drops you at the sights, so add taxis in Abu Dhabi. For a family or a full sightseeing day, a taxi, a transfer or a guide with a car is simpler.
How long does it take to get from Dubai to Abu Dhabi?
By car, about 1.5 hours from central Dubai to central Abu Dhabi without heavy traffic, roughly 140–150 km. The train itself takes about an hour, but with the metro, shuttle and taxis at both ends a door-to-door trip is 3.5–4 hours.
How much is the Etihad Rail train from Dubai to Abu Dhabi?
From 39 AED in Comfort and from 109 AED in Premium as of October 2026. Prices rise as seats sell, and at peak times Premium has gone up to 149 AED, so book early on the Etihad Rail website or app.
Does the train stop near Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque or the Louvre?
No. Mohamed bin Zayed City station is opposite Dalma Mall, near Musaffah, well outside the centre. Etihad Rail shuttles go to ADNEC, ADNOC HQ on the Corniche and Reem Mall; for the mosque and the Louvre you need a taxi.
Can I come back to Dubai by train in the evening?
Not late. On the weekday timetable the last train from Abu Dhabi leaves at 17:43. If you want the mosque at sunset or the evening show at Qasr Al Watan, plan a taxi, a bus or a car back.
Is the train cheaper than a car for a family of four?
Often not by much. Four train tickets, the metro to the station and several taxis around Abu Dhabi add up to a figure close to a taxi or transfer for the whole car, and the day takes much longer.
