The back story
Getting around Abu Dhabi: the airport, the shuttles, the buses and the new railway
The airport, the Experience Abu Dhabi shuttle, the Yas Express, the buses and Etihad Rail.
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Oleg Yunakov · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia CommonsAbu Dhabi is a city of islands joined by bridges, and most visitors move by taxi. The airport is about 25 minutes from Saadiyat and 15 from Yas Island. Visitors also have a shuttle network of their own, the Experience Abu Dhabi bus, linking the airport and downtown with the main sights, and the Yas Express on Yas Island; the city buses reach almost everywhere, and Etihad Rail now runs passenger trains to Dubai.
The airport
Zayed International Airport (AUH) is about 15 minutes’ drive from Yas Island and 25 from Saadiyat (Visit Abu Dhabi).
The shuttles
The Experience Abu Dhabi shuttle bus connects the airport and downtown with key stops such as Louvre Abu Dhabi on Saadiyat and The Galleria on Al Maryah Island; on Yas Island, the Yas Express stops at the major hotels and attractions. Both are complimentary (Visit Abu Dhabi).
Buses and taxis
The city buses, run under the Integrated Transport Centre, serve the islands; routes 40, 42 and 44 cross Al Maryah Island, for example. Metered taxis are plentiful (Visit Abu Dhabi; itc.gov.ae).
Use the free shuttles for the museums and Yas Island, and taxis for everything else.
By train
Etihad Rail’s passenger trains link Abu Dhabi with Dubai in about 64 minutes, and with Al Dhaid and Fujairah (etihadrail.ae).
Our advice: from the airport, take a taxi to your hotel and the shuttle for the sights.
Why it's on our list
- The airport
- The shuttles
- Buses and taxis
- By train
Location
The map comes from Google Maps, which sets its own cookies once it loads.
More in depth
The back storyAbu Dhabi at the table: stars, the souk and the Emirati kitchenThree MICHELIN stars, Lebanese mezze by the sea, the fish of Al Mina and Emirati breakfasts.
The back storyEmirati FoodGahwa from the dallah, dates, machbous and grilled hammour: the Emirati table and where to taste it.
The back storyWhere Abu Dhabi sleeps: the palace, the islands and the creekEmirates Palace, the Saadiyat resorts, Al Maryah’s towers and the creek facing the Grand Mosque.