Transfers in Dubai

About Dubai

Dubai is the largest city in the United Arab Emirates, home to roughly 3.7 million residents drawn from more than 200 nationalities. In a few decades it has gone from a pearl-diving port on the creek to a global finance, aviation and tourism hub anchored by the 828-metre Burj Khalifa, the Palm Jumeirah, the Dubai Mall and the historic Al Fahidi quarter. The official language is Arabic but English is the everyday lingua franca, and the currency is the UAE dirham, pegged at 3.67 to the US dollar. The Dubai Creek still divides the older districts of Deira and Bur Dubai, where the gold and spice souks operate much as they have for a century, while the modern skyline along Sheikh Zayed Road runs 20 km south from the World Trade Centre to the Marina. Most visits combine a few days in town with a desert safari at Al Marmoom or Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve.

Getting around

The driverless Dubai Metro Red and Green lines connect DXB Terminals 1 and 3 with Deira, Downtown and Jebel Ali, and Nol cards work across metro, tram and bus. Taxis are inexpensive by global standards, and ride-hailing through Careem or Uber is straightforward. That said, distances are long, summer heat is brutal and many neighbourhoods are spread along Sheikh Zayed Road, so private cars remain the comfortable choice for most visitors. Saturday and Sunday now form the official weekend, with traffic peaks Monday to Friday around 08:00 and 18:00. The Dubai Tram and the Palm Monorail handle short hops in the Marina and on The Palm respectively, while abras across the creek cost 1 AED.

Best time to visit

November to March is peak season, with daytime highs of 24 to 30 degrees and cool evenings. December and January see the Dubai Shopping Festival and high hotel rates. April and October are pleasant shoulder months. From June to September temperatures push past 40 degrees and humidity is intense, though indoor attractions, malls and waterparks stay busy thanks to discounted summer offers. Ramadan brings shorter daytime trading hours and lavish iftar buffets after sunset, with restaurants generally closed to non-fasting diners until sunset. The Dubai World Cup horse race in late March and the Dubai International Film Festival in early December are useful events to plan around.

Transferring from Dubai’s airports

Dubai has two commercial airports. Dubai International (DXB), 5 km east of the centre, is the Emirates hub and the world’s busiest airport for international passengers. Dubai World Central - Al Maktoum (DWC), 45 km southwest, is the secondary airport used by select low-cost carriers and most cargo. Cruise passengers split between Port Rashid in Bur Dubai, the long-standing terminal, and Dubai Harbour near the Palm, opened in 2021 and now used by most large lines. Both ports have direct road access and pre-booked transfers can include Salik road tolls and parking in the fixed fare.

Common transfer routes

From DXB the most-booked rides run to Downtown Dubai, the Marina, JBR, Jumeirah and Palm Jumeirah, ranging from 15 minutes to Deira up to 45 minutes to Dubai Marina in evening traffic. DWC transfers usually head to Expo City, Marina or Downtown, around 30 to 50 minutes depending on destination. Port Rashid and Dubai Harbour transfers commonly serve onward flights at DXB, the desert resorts of Al Marmoom or city hotels for pre or post-cruise stays. Cross-emirate transfers to Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman and Ras Al Khaimah are also popular, with Abu Dhabi reached in about 90 minutes via the E11 motorway.

Booking your Dubai transfer

Pre-booking a private Dubai transfer takes about two minutes. Enter your flight or vessel number, choose pickup point and select from saloon, SUV, minivan or minibus depending on group size. Fares are fixed with no airport surcharges, drivers meet you in arrivals with a name sign, and the 60-minute free wait gives time to clear immigration and collect bags. Cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal and Alipay are accepted, and free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before pickup. Booking via Taxi2Airport includes Salik tolls in the fixed fare and child seats can be added at checkout for a small fee.