【Abu Dhabi】Complete Dubai to Abu Dhabi Transport Guide ☆ Must-Read for Dubai Travel

Updated April 19, 2026 櫻桃與魚 Abu Dhabi 交通攻略 Dubai

If there's one attraction that absolutely blew us away during our Dubai trip, it has to be the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque (which, ironically, isn't even in Dubai! XD) Besides the stunning Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi is packed with incredible places to explore—like the Etihad Towers (where Fast & Furious 7 was filmed!), the ultra-luxurious Emirates Palace, Ferrari World, and the Louvre Abu Dhabi! If you have some extra time during your Dubai vacation, we highly recommend planning an Abu Dhabi day trip. So, how exactly do you take public transport from Dubai to Abu Dhabi?

Abu Dhabi Travel Information

★ 【Transport】Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus | Dubai to Abu Dhabi Transport Guide
★ 【SIM Cards】UAE 5G eSIM
★ 【Passes】Choice of 2-4 Attractions Pass | Yas Island Multi-Park Tickets
★ 【Tickets】Ferrari World | Qasr Al Watan Presidential Palace | Louvre Abu Dhabi | Warner Bros. World | The National Aquarium
★ 【Tours】Abu Dhabi Half-Day City Tour | Desert Safari
★ 【Family】KidZania Abu Dhabi
★ 【From Dubai】Grand Mosque + Louvre Day Tour | Grand Mosque + Ferrari World Day Tour

First, a quick heads-up! If you are planning to visit the Grand Mosque, keep these two important tips in mind:

★ Try to avoid going on a Friday. According to our hotel staff, Friday is their main prayer day, so the mosque is only open to tourists after 4:30 PM.

★ There are strict dress codes for both men and women entering the Grand Mosque. Luckily, they offer traditional clothing for women to rent on-site!

Alright, let's get back on track! There are two main bus terminals in Dubai that offer direct routes to the Abu Dhabi Main Bus Terminal: One is the Al Ghubaiba Bus Station in the north, and the other is the IBN Battuta Bus Station in the south.

Which Bus Station is Better for You?

This completely depends on where you're staying! If you're staying in the Old Town area or further north, Al Ghubaiba Bus Station is definitely your best bet. However, since we stayed near the Burj Khalifa in downtown Dubai, heading all the way up north to Al Ghubaiba would have been a massive detour (since Abu Dhabi is actually south of Dubai!). So, if you're not staying in the Old Town, catching the bus from the southern IBN Battuta Station is much more convenient. Here's a Google Maps overview to give you a better idea:

Al Ghubaiba Bus Station

Location       Visible diagonally to the left from Exit 1 of Al Ghubaiba Metro Station 2
Bus Route      E100
Travel Time    Approx. 2 hours
Ticket Price   AED 25 one-way / AED 50 round-trip per person; You can simply tap your Silver nol card!

IBN Battuta Station

Location       Right next to IBN Battuta Metro Station
Bus Route      E101
Travel Time    Approx. 1.5 hours
Ticket Price   AED 25 one-way / AED 50 round-trip per person; You can simply tap your Silver nol card!

Cherry stayed right in the city center of Dubai, so we're primarily sharing our experience departing from IBN Battuta Station! Since the bus station is conveniently located right next to the IBN Battuta Metro Station, you just need to take the Red Line on the metro using your nol card and get off there.

The "nol card" is Dubai's universal top-up transit card for the metro and buses. For all the details, check out our Dubai Transport Guide. When we visited Dubai, the metro was still expanding, but they managed to open the entire line right before the Dubai Expo! Here's the latest 👉🏻(Dubai Metro Map)

Once you arrive at IBN Battuta, your first mission is to find the bus stop. The bus stop for Abu Dhabi is right across from the ticket office (pictured above). Basically, just look for the stop with a massive line of people—you can't miss it!

We heard a rumor from somewhere that you had to buy bus tickets at the counter. But when we tried, the staff simply asked to top up our nol cards! So really, as long as you have enough balance on your nol card, you're good to go. Since the line to buy tickets on-site is always packed, we highly recommend topping up your card in advance. That way, you can just join the boarding line as soon as you arrive at the station. Wondering how to get a nol card? Check out our 👉🏻Dubai Transport Guide!

For the two of us, it cost exactly AED 100 for a round trip (based on 2019 prices). Behind the receipt in the photo below is the reusable Silver nol card, which you can purchase at any metro station window.

When we got to the terminal that day, there was an insanely long queue of about 100-200 meters! Fortunately, the buses come pretty frequently (they were running every 12 minutes during our time slot). In total, we only waited about 30 minutes before hopping on.

When riding the bus with a nol card, remember that you need to tap it when you get on AND tap it again when you get off! The screen will show your balance when you board, and it will display your trip cost and remaining balance when you tap off.

If you get a window seat on the left side of the bus, keep your eyes peeled about 10 minutes before reaching the Abu Dhabi Bus Terminal. Out the left window, you'll spot the Al Bahar Towers, affectionately known as the "Pineapple Towers" because they look exactly like two giant pineapples!

The exterior of the Al Bahar Towers is made up of thousands of movable little triangles. A computer system tracks the sun's position and makes the triangles expand or contract to block the harsh sunlight from heating the interior. Isn't that an incredibly smart design for the scorching desert? Plus, the pineapple shape is super unique and totally worth looking out for!

We finally made it to the Abu Dhabi Bus Terminal! Keep in mind that you'll catch your return bus from this exact same place.

Once you arrive at the Abu Dhabi Bus Terminal, turn left after exiting the platform. As soon as you step out of the exit, you'll see the taxi stand! The taxi meter starts at AED 5, and the fare breakdown is shown in the picture below:

We relied entirely on taxis to get around Abu Dhabi, taking a total of 3 rides. Here’s a quick log of our fares for your reference:

1. Bus Terminal to Grand Mosque : AED 33 (Approx. USD$9.00)
2. Grand Mosque to Emirates Palace : AED 42 (Approx. USD$11.50)
3. Etihad Towers to Bus Terminal : AED 24 (Approx. USD$6.50)

Since some taxis in Dubai and Abu Dhabi aren't super keen on taking credit cards, we made sure to bring enough cash to cover our rides and avoid any unnecessary hassle.

For the trip back to Dubai, you'll board from Platform 2.

It’s basically the same platform where you got off when you first arrived in Abu Dhabi. There are clear "Dubai" signs on the platform, so you'll know you're in the right spot!

The return bus also clearly displays the route number: E101 heading to Ibn Battuta MS. If you need to go back to Al Ghubaiba Bus Station, make sure you catch the E100 bus instead!

And that wraps up our experience traveling from Dubai to Abu Dhabi! We hope this helps you plan a smooth and safe day trip to Abu Dhabi. Cherry's personally put together a massive guide covering 12 must-visit Abu Dhabi attractions, transport info, itinerary planning, and transit visas! If you're plotting out an Abu Dhabi adventure, definitely don't miss that post!

If you want to skip the hassle of figuring out public transport yourself, you can also consider booking a guided day tour starting from Dubai. Great options include the Grand Mosque and Louvre Day Tour or the Grand Mosque and Ferrari World Day Tour.

Abu Dhabi Travel Guides

★ [Abu Dhabi Ultimate Guide] Complete List! Top 15 Abu Dhabi Attractions ★ Includes Map, Transport & Itinerary Guide
★ [Abu Dhabi] Must-Visit Attractions for Your Abu Dhabi Trip ☆ Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque + Emirates Palace + Etihad Towers

Abu Dhabi Travel Information

Dubai Travel Information

For even more must-visit spots and essential travel info, check out our massive guide 👉🏻 [Dubai Travel Guide] 30 Attractions Map, Transport, Hotels, Itineraries & Visas | The Ultimate Plan

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