Want to explore Abu Dhabi? You can safely hop on public transport or explore the city with a range of private car services such as Uber. From buses and abras to taxis and ride-hailing services, there are loads of ways to get around the capital easily.
Public transportation
The Abu Dhabi Department of Transportation operates more than 120 bus routes throughout the Emirate with extensive services in Abu Dhabi city and Al Ain. Buses run at all hours of the day and night, though service may be more limited on Fridays and Saturdays which is the weekend here.
Don’t worry about getting lost. Help is at hand as everyone here speaks English and with the inherent Arab hospitality, people will go out of their way to guide you to your desired destination. Alternatively, you can go online to DARBI which is a journey planner with an interactive map that can plot out the best route by public transportation for your destination.
Abra water taxi
Feel like catching some sightseeing from a different perspective, the waterside? You can take a water taxi in the form of a traditional wooden boat, an abra, along the stunning waters of Khor Al Maqta. The starting point is at the Souk Qaryat Al Beri. The various waterway routes take you along to The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal, Eastern Mangroves and Yas Island. Sights include the Shaikh Zayed Grand Mosque and some of the Grand Canal’s fanciest hotels, lush mangroves, the original Maqta fort and the fancy yachts of Yas Island. The water taxi service is run by Captain Tony, who also operates eco-conscious boat tours from Yas Marina. You can choose between sunset cruises, island beach getaways, fishing trips, mangrove trips and much more.
Taxis
You’ll have no trouble finding a taxi in Abu Dhabi city — just look for either a silver car with a yellow roof sign or a white and gold car with a green roof sign. You can hail a cab from the street – they are plentiful – or book one in advance through the TransAD cab association hotline. Many of Abu Dhabi’s public spaces have dedicated and clearly marked taxi areas making drop-off and pick-up super smooth and easy. All Abu Dhabi taxis are operated by authorized taxi services with metered fares, and they accept payment with cash, credit cards, Apple Pay and Samsung Pay.
You will be happy to learn that taxis in Abu Dhabi are very reasonably priced compared to other cities around the world, making it an affordable way to get around.
Taxi operators
- Al Ghazal Taxi Transport
- Arabia Taxi
- Cars
- Emirates Taxi
- National Taxi
- Tawasul
- Emirates Transport Taxi
In addition to regular taxis, Abu Dhabi has special taxi services for women, children and disabled passengers. Pink taxis are driven by women and are exclusively for female passengers and children under the age of 10.
Uber
Uber in Abu Dhabi offers the same range of services you find elsewhere in the world. Chauffeured cars that come to you, use GPS, the ability to pay direct from the app and a variety of vehicles at different costs. The base price is a little higher than the local taxis in the Emirate.
Careem
Similar to Uber, Careem is a ride-hailing app that connects you with private hire drivers who can take you anywhere in the city. Download the app, sign up, add a payment method and away you go. Slightly more expensive than the local taxis, but the drivers have GPS, and the cars are often more modern.
Onak
Onak is another ride-hailing app similar to Careem and Uber. As well as chauffeured car rides you can also use the app as a concierge service to run your errands. There are different membership options, from pay-per-ride to memberships.