Dubai

A guide to getting around Dubai for tourists

Getting around Dubai is simpler than you think - as soon as you land in DXB International Airport, a wealth of transportation options await you.
By Lindsay Eagan

Our quick how-to-get-around Dubai guide for tourists.

Dubai can seem like a shimmering, cosmopolitan maze of glass and metal towers and landmarks plopped down in the middle of the desert.

On the first descent into Dubai International Airport, the barren sand dunes give way to a glittery oasis. Dubai is one of the world's most vibrant and developed cities. For many, this Arabian city is a wonderful place to indulge in an array of entertainment, dining, and shopping options. But it can also be overwhelming, with so much to see and do on a 'larger-than-life' scale.

That said, travel to and within Dubai is fairly easy and stress-free. As part of its transition into a tourist-supported economy, this city at the heart of the Emirates has increasingly built itself up to be a globally accessible hub, welcoming foreign guests and businesses. There are lots of transportation options, so we've outlined some of the best ways to get around during your visit.

Getting around Dubai by taxi or private car

female-tourist-medical-protective-mask

Once in the city, you'll find an abundance of taxis available. Many tourists have said this is the best and easiest way to get around Dubai. Most taxis are operated by the government with a few private companies offering alternative services.

All taxis run on a metered service with the fee charged by distance, so be sure to ask your driver to turn on their meter if they have not automatically done so. Licensed taxis are tan color with red or pink roofs; taxis with pink roofs are driven by women and intended for women and families only.

Taxi stands are fairly accessible from the city's famous landmarks, such as Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa, Mall of the Emirates, Palm Jumeirah, and many hotels. Be aware that you may experience long wait times for a taxi during rush hour, typically between 3:30pm and 5:30pm.

Hop On Hop Off sightseeing bus

Though it's not necessarily your primary form of transportation, it's an incredible option that combines your need to get around with a fun and informative tour. Aboard the open-deck Hop On Hop Off tour with Big Bus Dubai, you'll pass famous landmarks like the Burj Khalifa, Atlantis The Palm, Dubai Fountain, and more.

Your guide will provide you with a background of the city and its story. You'll be able to hop on or off at any stop, which makes your sightseeing that much easier!

Getting around Dubai by metro or tram

The Metro

Dubai metro

While many cities of comparable size like London, New York, or Paris operate extensive metro or subway systems, Dubai is unique in still operating only two metro lines to accommodate its citizens and guests. With over 45 stops, The Metro serves the most popular tourist areas within Dubai. The fare will depend on the zone you're traveling in and the distance traveled.

Cabs and supplemental buses are available at most stations and can be used to get you to your destination, if needed, but are typically more expensive. The main metro line runs the length of Sheikh Zayed Road, while the newer, second line services the old town area of the city.

Most points of interest for tourists are clustered around Sheikh Zayed, so you'll be able to hit a lot of the popular attractions using just The Metro. Much of Dubai's impressive new construction, such as the Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, and the Dubai Marina are directly connected to the main metro line as well.

Fares can be purchased and stored on Nol Cards (which can even be used to pay for RTA parking). Riders can purchase single or multiple travel tickets. Trains operate every 10 minutes during off-peak times and even faster during rush hour.

The Tram

More recently, Dubai opened a second form of public transportation: The Tram. The tram travels on a specially constructed street-level track to connect the highly populated residential and commercial areas of Dubai Marina, Palm Jumeirah, and Dubai Media City.

Offering a flat rate no matter the destination or length of travel, the Dubai Tram is one of the cheapest forms of transport in the city.

The Palm Monorail

palm-island-panorama-dubai-marina-rising

If you're planning on spending the day on Palm Jumeirah Island (which we highly recommend!) or visiting Atlantis The Palm, hop on the Palm Monorail. The Palm Monorail connects Dubai's mainland with the Palm Jumeirah Island station.

It's the perfect way to travel from the city to Atlantis the Palm for a day of fun at Aquaventure Water Park or the Lost Chambers Aquarium.

Getting Around Dubai by boat or ferry

luxury-dubai-marina-skyscrapers-cruise-boat

Since Dubai is home to two large commercial ports, there are numerous places to dock yachts, cruise ships, and smaller boats.

One of the most delightfully authentic ways of getting around Dubai as a tourist is to take a tour on a traditional dhow boat. These small boats carry passengers across the Dubai Creek to the historic old town neighborhoods of Bastakiya and Bani Yas Road for a very low fee. A more modern water bus service also operates in the Creek and Dubai Marina areas to travel the city's "liquid streets".

Private boats and yachts are also a permanent fixture in Dubai's waterways. Many foreign guests prefer to cruise their way into the city via a luxury yacht, while this Emirate nation also has many private boat companies that rent out vessels on an hourly basis for a fun day at sea.

Getting around by bike

woman-riding-bike-on-road-desert

Dubai is becoming an increasingly bike-friendly city. With so many beautiful structures and sand dunes to see, cycling around Dubai is one of the best ways to get out and see everything on your bucket list. Finding a bike is extremely easy, as there are public bikes for rent at BYKY Station and many popular tourist spots, including Jumeirah Beach. A ride around this coastal area is a great way to while away a few hours.

Getting to and from Dubai International Airport

The Dubai International Airport (DXB) is the world's busiest airport in terms of international passenger traffic, and the world's third busiest in terms of total passenger travel. With direct flights to nearly every continent in the world, it's no wonder DXB is so busy.

The airport is also the home of Emirates, the Middle East's largest carrier that offers a direct flight to almost every major city in the world, with a special Emirates-only terminal. Other attractive features include luxury passenger lounges and a large duty-free shopping area in each terminal.

Plane landing at DXB

Dubai International Airport is easily connected to the center of the city via the highway system, by taxi or private car, or numerous local bus routes that disembark straight from the airport to different places of interest. Once outside the terminal, you'll be able to locate your preferred form of transportation easily.

The airport is also directly served by the Dubai Metro public transport system which operates two lines to and from the airport, easily accessible from arrivals.

Want to save money on those bucket-list Dubai attractions? 

Check out a Dubai attraction pass from Go City and you could save yourself up to 50% on your must-sees – perfect!  

☀️Compare Dubai passes☀️ – 🌏 Explore other destinations 🌏 –  ✈️ Buy a pass ✈️ 

Lindsay Eagan
Go City Travel Expert

Continue reading

A mother and child explore a museum
Blog

The 9 best museums in Dubai

Keen to portray a modern – and often record-breaking – front to the world, it took Dubai’s rulers some time to realize what a wealth of treasured objects and cultural insights they were keeping under wraps. Thankfully all that has changed, with an increasing emphasis on preserving the region’s history and heritage for future generations. Check it out for yourself with the best museums in Dubai! Dubai Museum The main museum in Dubai, Dubai Museum was also the emirate’s first, opening in 1971 following the United Arab Emirate’s independence from Great Britain. Located in one of the oldest districts of Dubai, it sits within Al Fahidi Fort – both the oldest structure in Dubai and its tallest building for almost 200 years. Its courtyard entranceway contains larger pieces within the national collection, including a full-sized dhow trading boat. From there, visitors are guided through a warren of ancient rooms and passageways filled with important objects, from weapons to musical instruments. They eventually connect with a contemporary section detailing Dubai’s origins as a rest stop for vessels crisscrossing the region’s waterways. The easiest way to find it is by jumping aboard a Hop-On Hop-Off sightseeing bus. Museum of Illusions Just a short distance away from Dubai Museum but very different in scope, the Museum of Illusions is a mind-minding modern equivalent of a circus’ hall of mirrors. Eighty different illusions have been installed to baffle the eye whilst cleverly sneaking in a little of the science that makes it all possible. A museum made for the Instagram generation, visitors are encouraged to get hands on with the illusions and take as many selfies as they can manage. If you’ve ever fancied appearing to hang from the ceiling or look like a giant, this is the place for you. Saruq Al Hadid Archeological Museum Opened in 2016, Saruq Al Hadid Archeological Museum is one of Dubai’s newest. Its collection comes from the archeological site in the desert of the same name, discovered when Dubai's current ruler flew his helicopter across the area. Dating back to the iron age – roughly 2,200 years ago – the finds displayed here include document seals made in ancient Iraq and Egypt, beads from the Indian subcontinent, and gold work any trader in Deira’s Gold Souk would be over the moon to display. When seen as one, they help to piece together life in the region during prehistoric times. Etihad Museum Nothing to do with the airline of the same name – though it surely irritates some of those at Emirates – the Etihad Museum is given over to the culture and history of all seven United Arab Emirates including Dubai. Meaning ‘union’ or ‘alliance’ in Arabic, the Etihad Museum is situated on the shores of the Persian Gulf in a building resembling the UAE’s founding charter. It is sited on the spot where the leaders of Britain’s ‘Trucial Sheikhdoms’ signed the new constitution, the original of which can be found in pavilion seven. Other artefacts include personal belongings of these leaders, shown alongside documentaries describing the history of the new country. Coffee Museum Is this everyday hot drink worthy of a dedicated museum? Come to Dubai’s Coffee Museum and you’ll end up deciding that it does. Love it or hate it as a drink, no one can deny the importance coffee has played in Emirati culture over the centuries. Step through the doors of this modest building in the Al Fahidi neighborhood and you’ll not only discover the legendary origins of the drink – an Ethiopian farmer wondering why his goats were getting excited after eating from a particular plant – and get to taste the results of everything you will have learnt in the onsite café. Elmarsa Gallery Part of an international group of contemporary galleries which started out life in Tunisia, and also features heavily at art fairs in France and Morocco, Elmarsa Gallery showcases the very best artists active today in the Middle East and Arab World. Much of the work on display – including canvases and sculpture – has a subtle political leaning, connecting the region’s traditions with issues facing the whole globe, from immigration to climate change. House of Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum Visible from the dhows that run sightseeing tours along Dubai Creek in the Al Shindagha neighborhood, this building was the home of the Al Maktoum’s, Dubai’s ruling family, from 1896 until it was turned into a museum. A typical upper class Emirati home, including features such as the wind tower intended to funnel cooler air into the building’s interior, it was the main residence of the ruler of Dubai from 1912 until his death in 1958. Also the birthplace of his children and grandchildren, it plays a hugely significant part in the culture of Dubai. As a museum, it contains a variety of objects and photographs of Dubai before the oil boom, divided into nine different galleries. These include some documents dating as far back as 1791, whilst the building’s architecture of gypsum, coral stone and thick teak doors is just as important. Coins Museum The eight room Coins Museum is one of the best museums in Dubai for considering the modern world’s relationship with money. Almost 500 individual coins are used as a means of exploring the history of the region. Amongst them are silver Arab-Sasanian coins dating to only a few years after the Prophet Mohammed’s flight from Mecca to Medina in around 622 AD. Salsali Private Museum Must visit museums in Dubai also include the Salsali Private Museum. You’ll have to head to the former industrial area of Al Quoz to find its collection of roughly 800 modern and contemporary artworks, ranging from pottery and textiles to carvings and photography. If you fancy taking something back home with you, the dedicated Collectors Lounge hosts regular temporary exhibitions curated by artists keen to present their work to new audiences, and that’s surely what a visit to the best museums in Dubai is all about. Exploring the best museums in Dubai You don’t have to have professor in front of your name to enjoy a turn in Dubai’s top museums. Covering the history, culture and traditions of the emirate and its people, the best museums in Dubai are far from the stuffy spaces you might imagine. So don’t miss your chance to delve into their collections. Don’t forget about Go City when traveling to Dubai. Purchase one of our pre-pay passes and you’ll be treated to incredible savings on admission to many of Dubai’s biggest attractions, from the At The Top observation decks of the Burj Khalifa to the roller coasters of MOTIONGATE Dubai.
Ian Packham
A woman points to the opposite side of Dubai Creek
Blog

The best neighborhoods in Dubai to explore

Often thought of as one seamless city of towering modern skyscrapers, Dubai is actually made up of a series of distinct neighborhoods. Each offers visitors something different, from historic mansions to what’s possibly the world’s most famous building – the Burj Khalifa. But which are the best neighborhoods in Dubai to explore? Where should you spend your time – downtown, Bur Dubai, d3 or somewhere else completely? A lot will depend on your interests, with this guide designed to help you decide. Downtown Dubai – the one not to miss It may be the neighborhood in Dubai not to miss, but you probably couldn’t even if you wanted to. At its center lies the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building. A structure three times taller than the Eiffel Tower, it’s visible from 95 kilometers away. The emirate’s pride and joy, the Burj’s 124th and 125th floors contain the At The Top observation decks, standing more than 450 meters above the ground and providing unparalleled vistas through floor to ceiling windows. Return to ground level to take in Burj Lake at its best. Created by the same team behind the Bellagio’s fountains in Las Vegas, its jets dance to a jukebox’s worth of international hits every half an hour from 6PM, featuring stars including opera tenor Andrea Bocelli and king of pop Michael Jackson. Right next door is Dubai Mall, which continues the record-breaking theme of downtown by being the world’s largest. Take your pick of more than 1000 stores and 200 places to eat and drink before delving to the bottom of the Earth’s oceans at Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo. Al Barsha – little known but with a huge personality Alongside Barsha Heights, Al Barsha doesn’t trip off the tongue like Dubai Marina or downtown, partly because a lot of it forms quiet low-rise residential dwellings. However, within its bounds you’ll find the Mall of the Emirates. Like Dubai Mall, it’s more than just a place to shop till you drop, being the home of the penguins and snow runs of Ski Dubai, totaling more than 22,000 square meters of indoor snow field in one of the hottest places on Earth. At the southern end of the Al Barsha neighborhood lies another climatic surprise, fittingly called the Miracle Garden. Rather less naturalistic than the other great botanic gardens of the world – there’s a giant topiary form of Mickey Mouse amongst other attractions – it still manages to elicit wows from most of its visitors, since there’s 250 million different plants to see, smell and touch. The same complex contains multiple climate-controlled domes forming an ideal habitat for around 15,000 butterflies belonging to 50 different regional and international species. Though thrilling in their own way, the need for an adrenaline rush can be met at IMG Worlds of Adventure theme park a short distance away. Aquaventure Waterpark at Atlantis The Palm does the same with H2O being the overarching theme – swimwear is the order of the day. Dubai Marina – the best neighborhood in Dubai for nightlife & beaches Water is never far from the center of the action in Dubai, and nowhere epitomizes this better than Dubai Marina. A complex of cafés, stores and high-end apartment buildings edging a completely man made waterway, this traffic-free neighborhood is a good place to relax at any time of day. However, it really comes to life in the evening hours, when expatriate workers returning home take advantage of Dubai’s weather to enjoy a drink or two on an open terrace. One way to enjoy the marina from afar is to drift skyward in one of the plush gondolas of Ain Dubai Ferris wheel. Not to be outdone by the attractions in the other neighborhoods in Dubai, Ain Dubai towers over its international cousins, reaching a maximum height of 250 meters – equivalent to the height of a 75 story building. The wheel is best admired from the Marina’s beaches, facing out into the Persian Gulf. Waterside markets provide further purchase opportunities, whilst the shallows ring with the sound of children having the time of their lives. Cabanas and a range of water sports seal the deal for adults. Bur Dubai – for a sense of old Dubai Is Bur Dubai the coolest neighborhood in Dubai? That’s up to you to decide. Is it one of the best neighborhoods in Dubai to visit to experience its history and culture? There’s nowhere better. Disappearing into residential properties towards its southern end, focus your attention on its northern portions, bounded by Dubai Creek. Stroll along the attractive waterfront at any time of day to disappear back two centuries, or better yet, take to the waters of the creek by kayak to enjoy the sunset in the most evocative part of the city. But to take in one of Bur Dubai’s most important structures, Dubai Museum, you’ll have to stay on dry land. The museum is important not only for its collection of ethnographic objects but also because it occupies Dubai’s oldest building – the Al Fahidi Fort, built in 1787. Not far away a series of historic mansions have also been brought back to their former glory, with several converted into additional museums and public spaces. d3 – Dubai’s design district Tucked into a once unloved semi-industrial area of Dubai enclosed by some of the emirate’s busiest roads, d3 still has the feel of a local secret. The purpose-built home of all manner of independent creatives, its streets are dotted with works of public art and its buildings are crowded with stores, design houses and pop-up exhibitions. This makes d3 a neighborhood in Dubai to escape the hustle and bustle without having to give up those things that make Dubai so special and life worth living, from lazy cups of coffee to November’s Dubai Design Week. Discover Dubai’s neighborhoods with Go City Look beyond the Burj Khalifa and you’ll find neighborhoods in Dubai which tick every box going. It doesn’t matter whether you’re into amusement parks or beaches, history or design, Dubai has a neighborhood worth exploring. Travel with Go City and you can do this whilst saving huge amounts on admission to many of Dubai’s best-loved attractions – including the observation decks of the Burj Khalifa!
Ian Packham
Abu Dhabi skyline
Blog

Abu Dhabi vs. Dubai: Which City Should You Visit?

Wondering which city to visit: Dubai vs. Abu Dhabi? We've rounded up the major highlights of each city and compared the biggest differences.
Katie Sagal

Have a 5% discount, on us!

Sign up to our newsletter and receive exclusive discounts, trip inspiration and attraction updates straight to your inbox.

Thick check Icon