Getting Around Abu Dhabi Without a Car: Buses, Taxis and Rail

Getting around Abu Dhabi without a car means buses paid with a Hafilat card (AED 2 plus 5 fils a kilometre, capped at AED 5 a journey), metered taxis from AED 5 plus AED 1.82 a kilometre, and, since 2026, Etihad Rail trains to Dubai and Fujairah. There is no metro. For a month-long stay, a 30-day bus pass costs AED 80, and free visitor shuttles cover Yas Island, Saadiyat and the city centre.

The fares below are as Abu Dhabi Mobility, formerly the Integrated Transport Centre (ITC), published them on 29 October 2026. It runs the emirate's public buses and licenses its taxis.

Is there a metro in Abu Dhabi?

No. Public transport in Abu Dhabi is buses: the standard city and suburban network, the on-demand Abu Dhabi Link bus in Yas, Saadiyat, Khalifa City and Al Shahama, and the Automated Rapid Transit (ART), a trackless electric bus between Reem Mall and Marina Mall. Taxis fill the gaps, and Etihad Rail links the capital with Dubai, Al Dhaid and Fujairah.

• ART: Monday to Friday, hourly from Reem Mall between 10:00 and 19:00, at the standard bus fare.
• Abu Dhabi Link: book a ride in its app between 06:00 and 23:00; AED 2 per boarding with a Hafilat card.
• Etihad Rail: Abu Dhabi Station is in Mohamed Bin Zayed City, on the mainland. Our Etihad Rail passenger train guide covers fares, timetables and the shuttle buses to the station.

What does getting around Abu Dhabi cost?

What	Published fare (AED)	Source
Hafilat card	10, valid 5 years	Abu Dhabi Mobility, Hafilat
Bus journey, standard service	2 boarding fee + 5 fils per km, maximum 5 (trips over 60 km); children 10 and under free	Abu Dhabi Mobility, public transport fare
Weekly pass	30, valid 7 days	Abu Dhabi Mobility, Hafilat
30-day pass	80, valid 30 days	Abu Dhabi Mobility, Hafilat
Taxi by day (06:00 to 22:00)	5 flag fall + 1.82 per km + 0.50 per minute of waiting; minimum fare 12	Abu Dhabi Mobility, taxi fares
Taxi at night (22:00 to 06:00)	5.50 flag fall, same per-km and waiting rates; minimum fare 12	Abu Dhabi Mobility, taxi fares
Taxi booking fee	4 by day, 5 at night	Abu Dhabi Mobility, taxi fares
Airport taxi	20 flag fall + 1.82 per km + 0.50 per minute of waiting	Abu Dhabi Mobility, taxi fares
Bus to Dubai (E100, E101, E102)	25	Abu Dhabi Mobility, inter-emirates services
Bus to Sharjah (117, 118)	30	Abu Dhabi Mobility, inter-emirates services
Bus to Al Ain	30 regular, 40 premium	Abu Dhabi Mobility, inter-city services
Etihad Rail to Dubai	From 39 in Comfort Class (booking site, travel on 3 November 2026)	Etihad Rail
Darb toll, if you rent a car	4 per gate passage at peak times	Abu Dhabi Mobility, Darb

Where do you buy a Hafilat card?

Abu Dhabi's buses are paid with a Hafilat smart card, not cash. The standard card costs AED 10 and lasts five years. Buy it from the sales and recharge machines at bus stations and stops, at Al Ain Co-op, or at any Lulu Hypermarket or Lulu Exchange branch in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra, and top it up with up to AED 150.

• Tap on and tap off: the fare is worked out from the distance between where you board and where you get off.
• Top-ups: at station machines and sales offices the balance shows on the card at once; at the machines in malls and commercial buildings, or online, it takes about two hours.
• Free transfers: you don't pay a second AED 2 boarding fee if you tap into the next bus within 60 minutes of tapping out, for up to two transfers (three buses), as long as you are not heading back the way you came. Inter-city buses are not included.
• Residents' cards: a personalised Hafilat card costs AED 5 at bus station offices and customer happiness centres, Monday to Friday. The personalised passes, including the student, senior (55 and over) and People of Determination passes with free unlimited trips, need an Emirates ID.

Is there a monthly bus pass in Abu Dhabi?

Yes. Abu Dhabi Mobility sells a 30-day pass for AED 80 and a 7-day pass for AED 30, which can be added to any Hafilat card and cover local trips in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra. At AED 2 a trip in the city, the monthly pass pays for itself after 40 trips; on longer rides at the AED 5 cap, after 16.

That makes the 30-day pass the simple choice for a month-long stay if you take the bus most days. Inter-city and inter-emirate buses are ticketed separately at the bus station. If your parents are coming over on a visit visa for parents, they can use a standard Hafilat card and pass; the senior pass needs an Emirates ID.

How much is a taxi in Abu Dhabi?

A silver taxi in Abu Dhabi starts at AED 5 by day (06:00 to 22:00) and AED 5.50 at night, then charges AED 1.82 a kilometre and AED 0.50 a minute of waiting, with a minimum fare of AED 12. Booking a taxi adds AED 4 by day or AED 5 at night. Taxis from the airport start at AED 20.

As arithmetic only, a 10 km daytime ride hailed on the street, with no waiting, comes to AED 5 + 10 × AED 1.82 = AED 23.20. You can pay in cash, by Apple Pay or Samsung Pay, or through the PayBy and Abu Dhabi Taxi apps.

How do you get from Zayed International Airport to the city?

Public buses leave from just outside Arrivals at Zayed International Airport (AUH), and the A-series buses run 24 hours a day. Route A1 goes to Al Zahiyah in the city centre, serving Al Reem Island and the Tourist Club Area, and A2 to Khalifa Street. You need a Hafilat card, sold at machines near the stops; cash is not accepted on board.

Other routes include A10 to the Mohamed Bin Zayed City bus station and K4 to Khalifa City. The airport puts a typical one-way bus fare at around AED 4.

How do you get from Abu Dhabi to Dubai without a car?

By bus or by train. Buses E100, E101 and E102 run from Abu Dhabi Main Bus Station to Dubai for AED 25, with tickets from the station's customer happiness offices. Etihad Rail runs from Mohamed Bin Zayed City to Dubai Station at Jumeirah Golf Estates in 1 hour 4 minutes, from AED 39 in Comfort Class.

• Northern emirates by bus: Sharjah on routes 117 and 118 for AED 30; Ajman (10:00 and 21:30) and Ras Al Khaimah (13:30 and 19:30) for AED 35 each.
• Inside the emirate: buses to Al Ain run every hour (AED 30, or AED 40 premium); Al Dhafra costs AED 30, Liwa AED 35 and Al Ruwais AED 37.
• By train to the east coast: Etihad Rail reaches Fujairah in 1 hour 51 minutes on its fastest train, from AED 55 in Comfort Class, on the booking site for 3 November 2026.
• Getting to the train: book Etihad Rail's shuttle bus from ADNOC Headquarters on Corniche Road West, ADNEC Centre, Reem Mall or Yas Mall with your ticket; on 29 October it was offered from AED 10.

Are there free shuttle buses in Abu Dhabi?

Yes. Visit Abu Dhabi, the Department of Culture and Tourism's (DCT) visitor site, lists the Experience Abu Dhabi Shuttle Bus as free of charge, with eight routes linking Yas Island, Jubail Island, Saadiyat Island, the city centre and the Grand Canal area. You hop on at a stop and scan a QR code.

On Yas Island, the complimentary Yas Express runs daily from about 09:00 to 23:30 on three routes, linking the hotels with Yas Mall, the theme parks, Yas Beach and Yas Marina. Check current routes on Visit Abu Dhabi before you rely on them.

Do you pay Darb tolls in a rental car?

Yes, if you drive through a Darb toll gate at peak times: AED 4 a passage from 07:00 to 09:00 and 15:00 to 19:00, Monday to Saturday, and nothing on Sundays and public holidays. Since 1 September 2025 there has been no daily or monthly cap for private vehicles. Ask the rental company how it bills tolls and any admin fee.

The change was announced on 15 August 2025, and Q Mobility now operates Darb. We found no official rule on how rental firms pass tolls on, so that depends on your contract.

Which areas suit a month in Abu Dhabi without a car?

Pick the area by the transport you will actually use, and check the nearest bus stop before you book: Abu Dhabi Mobility points riders to its Darbi website for stops and timetables, and our team can tell you which stop is closest to a building.

• Al Zahiyah and the Tourist Club Area: both are on the A1 airport bus route, which runs 24 hours a day.
• The Corniche: Etihad Rail's shuttle stop at ADNOC Headquarters is on Corniche Road West.
• Hamdan Street: a main street in the city centre of Abu Dhabi island, for city buses and short taxi rides.
• Yas Island: the free Yas Express, the Abu Dhabi Link on-demand bus and Etihad Rail's shuttle stop at Yas Mall, though the island is further from the city centre.

Most of our serviced apartments in Abu Dhabi have a 30-night minimum stay, which lines up with a 30-day bus pass. Choose an apartment near the bus or shuttle route you need, then send your dates through the listing's Request to Book, or WhatsApp our team.

Frequently asked questions

How much is the bus fare in Abu Dhabi?

AED 2 to board plus 5 fils a kilometre, with a maximum of AED 5 a journey, paid with a Hafilat card. Children 10 and under travel free, and transfers within 60 minutes don't add a second boarding fee.

How much is a Hafilat card?

AED 10, valid for five years. It is sold at the machines at bus stations and stops, at Al Ain Co-op and at Lulu Hypermarket and Lulu Exchange branches, and you can top it up with up to AED 150.

Is there a monthly bus pass in Abu Dhabi?

Yes: AED 80 for 30 days, or AED 30 for 7 days, added to any Hafilat card. Both cover local trips in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra.

How much is a taxi from Abu Dhabi airport?

Airport taxis start at AED 20, then charge AED 1.82 a kilometre and AED 0.50 a minute of waiting, on Abu Dhabi Mobility's published tariff. The A-series airport buses are cheaper and run 24 hours a day.

How do I get from Abu Dhabi to Dubai by bus?

Take bus E100, E101 or E102 from Abu Dhabi Main Bus Station for AED 25, buying the ticket at the station's customer happiness office. Etihad Rail also runs to Dubai in 1 hour 4 minutes, from AED 39.

Do I pay Darb tolls in a rental car?

Darb charges AED 4 per gate passage from 07:00 to 09:00 and 15:00 to 19:00, Monday to Saturday, with no daily cap since 1 September 2025. Ask your rental company how it bills tolls and fees.

Sources

• Abu Dhabi Mobility: Hafilat smart cards (card prices, where to buy and top up, weekly and 30-day passes, personalised passes; checked 29 October 2026)
• Abu Dhabi Mobility: public transport fare (AED 2 + 5 fils per km, AED 5 maximum, transfers, free travel for children; checked 29 October 2026)
• Abu Dhabi Mobility: taxi fares (silver and airport taxi tariffs, booking fees, payment methods; checked 29 October 2026)
• Abu Dhabi Mobility: inter-emirates services and inter-city services (routes and fares to Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Al Ain and Al Dhafra; checked 29 October 2026)
• Abu Dhabi Mobility: Automated Rapid Transit and Abu Dhabi Link (route, hours and fares; checked 29 October 2026)
• Abu Dhabi Mobility: Darb fees and amendments to the road toll regulations, 15 August 2025 (AED 4 per passage, peak hours, caps removed from 1 September 2025; checked 29 October 2026)
• Zayed International Airport: city bus routes and timetables (A-series routes, Hafilat card, typical fare; checked in a browser on 29 October 2026)
• Visit Abu Dhabi: shuttle bus and Yas Express (free visitor shuttles and routes; checked 29 October 2026)
• Etihad Rail: booking site and stations and shuttle stops (fares and journey times for 3 November 2026, shuttle stops; read 29 October 2026)

Fares and timetables checked on 29 October 2026.