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Travel and transport

Air travel

Dubai is well served by the state-owned (and heavily subsidised) Emirates Airline, which has been expanding at a rapid rate since its creation and which flies direct to 88 destinations worldwide. Emirates is based at the Dubai International Airport, currently the largest airport in the emirate. It is served by at least 76 international airlines including Aer Lingus, Aeroflot, Air China, Air France, Air India, Alitalia, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Delta, KLM, Lufthansa, Olympic Airways, Singapore Airlines and Virgin.

New airport

Dubai International is due to be superseded by the Dubai World Central International Airport. On completion it will become the biggest airport of any kind in the world, covering 140 sq. km, featuring six runways and with an annual capacity of 120 million passengers and 12 million tons of cargo.

Alternatives

Air travel is by far the easiest way to get to Dubai. Access by sea is possible, as the various new marinas under development aim to serve a significant proportion of recreational marine traffic in the Persian Gulf. There is also access by road from neighbouring United Arab Emirates (with their own airports) and Oman.

Dubai is four hours ahead of GMT and the flight time from London is between six and seven hours depending on the route.

Taxis in Dubai

Once in Dubai, one of the most popular modes of transport is by the cream-coloured Dubai Transport Corporation taxis, or alternatively by the non-metered taxis that are equally as common. However, the driving style in Dubai can be erratic, and taxi drivers are among the worst offenders. Alternatively, the area also has a reliable bus service.

Car hire

Car hire in Dubai is reasonably priced, but the rules of the road can be confusing to foreign drivers. Its road network is otherwise good and well-signposted throughout Dubai, and the freeways connecting Dubai to other parts of the United Arab Emirates are also generally well maintained.

Water taxis

For travelling along the Dubai Creek, there are water taxis known as ‘abras’. This is a traditional Dubai vehicle which used to be driven by oars, but are now motor-powered. They operate like a bus service, picking up passengers on scheduled services, but can also be privately hired.

Tourist visa

Travellers to Dubai from 33 countries (including Britain, Ireland, the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and most EU member-states) are entitled to a one-month tourist visa when they arrive in Dubai, and do not have to apply prior to arrival. British citizens and residents receive this visa free as of right; other nationalities may be liable for a charge of around £15.

Related items

Documents and Reports

	Dubai property investment report (307Kb)
	Dubai country guide (821Kb)
	Dubai property buying guide (759Kb)
Documents and Reports

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