Getting around Dubai

1. Dubai Metro

Driverless, air-conditioned and running the length of the main highway.

• Cost: AED 3–8.5 by zone
• Tip: A Nol card covers metro, tram, bus and the water bus.

2. Abra across the Creek

Wooden boats crossing the historic creek for one dirham — the best value in the country.

• Cost: AED 1

3. Careem and Uber

Both operate across the emirates with fares agreed in-app.

4. Metered taxi

Regulated, plentiful and generally honest.

• Cost: AED 5–12 flagfall depending on time and pickup

5. Walking, and why it often fails

Distances look short on a map and are not, and summer heat makes walking genuinely dangerous.

• Best time: November to March for anything on foot

Careem

The regional ride-hailing app, also covering deliveries and payments.

• Coverage: All emirates.
• Why it helps: Fare is agreed in the app before the trip, and the route is recorded — which removes the refused meter, the tampered meter and the fixed 'foreigner price' in one move.

Uber

Operates alongside Careem across the UAE.

• Coverage: Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the northern emirates.
• Why it helps: Fare is agreed in the app before the trip, and the route is recorded — which removes the refused meter, the tampered meter and the fixed 'foreigner price' in one move.

Dubai Taxi

The government-operated metered taxi fleet, bookable by app.

• Coverage: Dubai.
• Why it helps: Regulated meter and published tariffs, which avoids the 'meter is broken' fixed fare.

S'hail

Dubai's official multimodal planner covering metro, tram, bus and marine transport.

• Coverage: Dubai.