Getting to the city from the DXB airport is very easy because there is a taxi and car hire companies ready to serve you. The transportation from the airport to other destinations has been made possible also by the public transport services. So it is up to you to choose the kind of service that you want. And I’ll describe all of them in this article.
CONTENTS
🚄 Metro – easy and budget way to get from Dubai airport to the city
There is the Dubai metro Red line which runs from the airport through Dubai Creek following the Sheikh Zayed Road. The Red line establishes the two main park and ride stations which offer free parking for up to 2,800 cars. The Red Line has wireless service in every train and it has separate compartments.
Choose the district name you want to stay in and find out which metro station you need:
- Downtown Dubai → Burj Khalifa metro station;
- Deira → Deira City Centre metro station;
- Dubai Creek → Burjuman metro station;
- Bur Dubai → World Trade Centre metro station;
- Jumeirah → Mall of Emirates metro station → then catch a taxi or take a bus no.81;
- Palm Jumeirah → Dubai Internet City metro station → then get a taxi;
- Dubai Marina → Jumeirah Lake Towers metro station;
- Dubai Expo → EXPO 2020 metro station.
These stations are on the Red line of the Dubai metro. Trains run from DXB Terminals 1 and 3. The Red Line operates from 5 AM till midnight, Monday to Thursday, 5 AM -1 AM (the next day) on Friday, and 8 AM till midnight on Sunday.
🚕 Taxi – comfortable transfer from DXB to the Dubai city
The International airport of Dubai is about 4 kilometers from the city. The road that leads to the airport is D89. It will take you directly to the Dubai city center. Usually taxi service costs about $50 US.
The transfer desks are located in Terminal 1, 2 and 3. If you go to the information desk you will find Dubai Airport Terminal Maps to guide you through the airport. There are free shuttle buses operate at the Dubai Airport on a daily basis in order to provide assistance to passengers who want to transfer between the terminals.
The taxi stand at the airport is always open 24 hours ensuring that passengers who come to the airport or leave it are well served. You can easily travel from the Dubai International Airport around the city and to the other parts of the UAE such as Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Ajman, etc.
But I usually book a reliable transfer Kiwitaxi service for my friends and family. The driver meets us right near the arrival exit, so we don’t have to wait a cab or look for a taxi service in the huge Dubai airport. And it’s really nonstressful after the flight.
🚗 Rented car – the best service to go for while in Dubai
There are about 15 car rental companies at the DXB airport including Sixt car hire, Europcar, Hertz, Avis, Alamo, United car rentals, National car rental and many others. All these car hire services have offices at the arrivals hall at the Terminal 1.
Contact them if you need any help relating to car hire and they will assist you. Before hiring a car ensure that it is in a good condition and ensure that a check has been carried out so that at the time you will be returning the car you are not held liable for damages you did not cause.
Don’t forget to check that car you hire has a good air condition because of the intense heat in Dubai.
Get a map to guide in the airport. This will enable you know your way through Dubai. There is also Google Earth app to guide you. Ensure that the map that you have is the recent version. Note that the junctions in Dubai are not numbered logically. I advise not to drive a car in the morning or afternoon in Dubai. This is because during this period the traffic is heavy.
Dubai is the popular destination for people who go on holiday particularly those in Europe and most of them prefer car hire services as opposed to public transport. The most popular companies are Hertz and Avis.
1️⃣ Hertz Dubai Airport
Dubai is known for being the financial capital of United Arab Emirates. That is why Dubai is the foremost destination for most tourists. The Emirates airlines is the largest airlines that serves the airport and it has been allocated Terminal 3. The Hertz car hire company has made the life of those traveling to Dubai because of the companies excellent services.
Hertz Car Hire is a world wide recognized Company offering car hire services to people all over the world. The company has been their since 1918 and it has been spread in over 7,000 areas. Hertz has been in Dubai since 1993 and today it is among the leading car hire company in the city.
The company offers friendly services to their customers and they attend to the special needs of their customers. They have offices in Dubai just to ensure that they serve you effectively. You will find Hertz car hire at the Dubai Airport Terminal 1 arrivals hall and Dubai Airport Terminal 3 near the car park.
The Company also has offices at the Hetz Media city Radisson SAS hotel, Hertz Jebel Ali Free Zone, Hertz Dubai Marina, Hertz Ramool Trading Enterprises, Hertz Um Ramool, Hertz Al Wadha street, Hertz Hilton Ras Al Khaimah and Hertz Hilton Fujairah. The car hire company provides a 24 hours service 7 days a week.
Hertz car hire company in Dubai offers a good deal to its customers. They have a wide range of vehicles giving the passengers to choose the model that they want. The company gives you that peace of mind that you need while you are on holiday. The cars are in good condition and they have air conditions just to ensure you are comfortable even when the temperatures in Dubai are not favourable.
2️⃣ Avis Dubai Airport
Avis is among the companies that provide cheap car hire services in Dubai. It has a wide range model of cars hence it serves all passengers. It is an international company which started its operation way back in 1946 with only 3 cars.
Their service in Dubai is superior and they sometimes offer street free car rental experience to its esteemed clients. The company caters for the needs of every client who go for their services. The slogan of the company is “We Try Harder” and locating them at the Dubai Airport is easy.
The Avis Car Hire is located in the arrival halls of Terminal 1 and 2 of the Dubai International Airport. There is a car hire company that has various offices in different parts of Dubai. At the Dubai Airport the Company offers its services as from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m.
From my own experience the easiest way to rent a car online in advance. I recommend these trusted websites that we use:
- Localrent.com;
- Economybookings.com;
- Rentalcars.com.
It is important to know the rules of driving in Dubai before going to car hire services:
✔️ Remember that vehicles are driven on the right side in the United Arabs Emirates.
✔️ If you are a foreigner you will need to obtain the International Driving permit along side your countries Driving license before you are offered with the car hire services.
✔️ There are some routes in Dubai that require you to pay toll.
✔️ Don’t drive your car without carrying any cash.
✔️ And finally during rush hours in Dubai, driving is a time waster because of traffic jams.
Dubai Airport Parking
There are enough parking spaces at the Dubai International Airport. The parking space is available in all the terminal buildings. There is a parking place for short term period and parking space for a long term period.
The short term parking area is a few meters from terminal 1, 2 and 3 entrances. This parking area is for people who park their car for less than 5 hours. It is the preferred place for people who are seeing someone or for people who are meeting family members or friends.
The long term car park at the DXB airport is a 5 minutes distance from terminals 1, 2 and 3. It is a convenient parking area for people going for a long trip. The airport has ample parking spaces for the disabled. It offers 24 hours parking services.
The rates for parking vary from one terminal to another. After booking for Dubai Airport car park ensure that you keep the Dubai Airport car park ticket safely. There are automatic pay stations at the airport located at convenient places.
🚍 Buses from Dubai International Airport
There are a variety of bus services at the Dubai International Airport. Their stations are opposite the terminals at the airport. The buses have made traveling to and from the airport easy. The fare for traveling from the airport to the other parts of the city is about $3 US. To my mind, it’s affordable. But you have to buy a NOL card for Dubai public transport.
The buses are of high quality and they are well air conditioned. The bus service operates on a 24 hour basis and on a 30 minute interval. There are different buses depart from different terminals:
- Terminal 1: buses no.11A, 24, 32C, 33, 64A, 77, C01, E700, N30;
- Terminal 2: buses no.13B, 20, 25, 31, 43, c26, N30;
- Terminal 3: buses no.77, no.C01 and no.N30.
Many of them cover the interchange bus station Al Ghubaiba, and Gold souq bus station, Al Rashidiya bus station, Satwa bus station and Jabel Ali Free zone station, where you can hop on other buses to different parts of the city and throughout the UAE.
Dubai Airport is known for its busy schedule. It was built in 1959 and it is one of the largest airports in the United Arab Emirates that has been developing at a very fast rate. It is a prestigious airport because it caters for the needs of all, and it always improve its new services. Almost 5,600 flights land and leave the airport on a daily basis, there are over 130 airlines operate to and from the Dubai airport.
