Abu Dhabi has no metro: visitors use city buses paid with a Hafilat smart card, metered taxis (silver with a yellow roof sign) and ride-hailing, plus free visitor shuttles. Bus routes link the island centre (Al Zahiyah bus station, the Corniche, Marina Mall) with the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Saadiyat Island, Al Reem, Yas Island and the airport; A1 and A2 airport buses run 24 hours. The ART, a trackless electric 'tram-bus', runs between Reem Mall and Marina Mall on weekdays. Intercity buses leave Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station for Dubai, Al Ain and Al Dhafra, and Etihad Rail's Abu Dhabi station in Mohamed Bin Zayed City (opposite Dalma Mall, off the island) has trains to Fujairah and, from 30 September 2026, to Dubai in 1 h 4 min.
Paying: Hafilat smart card
How to buy
Anonymous Hafilat card AED 10 (valid 16 years) from ticket/recharge machines (TVM), customer happiness offices at bus stations and at Zayed International Airport (24/7), Lulu Hypermarket and Lulu Exchange branches, Abu Dhabi Co-op (SPAR) and Al Ain Co-op. Tap on when boarding and tap off when alighting. 7-day or 30-day passes can be loaded.
Fares
Standard city and suburban buses: AED 2 boarding fee plus 5 fils per km, maximum AED 5 per journey (for trips over 60 km); transfers within 60 minutes of tapping off carry no second boarding fee (max 2 transfers, not back in the opposite direction; intercity excluded); children 10 and under free (AD Mobility, checked Sep 2026). Intercity to Dubai AED 25, to Al Ain AED 30 regular / AED 40 premium, bought at customer offices in the station. Note: Visit Abu Dhabi's buses page still describes paying with two AED 1 coins; the official AD Mobility pages describe card payment only.
Lines and services
- BusCity and regional buses (Standard Service)
Useful lines (Wikipedia list, June 2025): 094 Mamsha Al Saadiyat - Louvre - Zayed Grand Mosque - Wahat Al Karama; 024 Marina Mall - Zayed Grand Mosque; 005/007/009/011 Marina Mall - Al Zahiyah / Zayed Port; 008 Marina Al Bateen - Zayed Port Fish Market; 034 Qasr Al Watan - Abu Dhabi Courts; 063/065/067/071 Marina Mall - Al Reem Island; 184 Abu Dhabi Bus Station - Saadiyat Island - Jubail Mangrove Park - Yas IKEA; 187 Al Zahiyah Bus Station - Yas Mall; 203 Central Bus Station - BAPS Temple (Sat and Sun only); 401 Zayed Grand Mosque - Baniyas Souq. The two front rows are priority seats for women.
- BusAirport buses A1, A2, A10, A40
A1 Zayed Airport Terminal A - Al Zahiyah Bus Station; A2 Terminal A - Khalifa Street; A10 to MBZ City bus station; A40 Al Shahama - Baniyas West via the airport.
- BusART (Automated Rapid Transit)
Electric trackless vehicle for 200 passengers on a 27 km route on Abu Dhabi Island between Reem Mall and Marina Mall. AED 2 + 5 fils per km with Hafilat.
- BusService 73 (bike bus)
Carries bicycles on board; runs between Al Reem Island (Shams Abu Dhabi) and Al Hudayriat Island via city landmarks.
- BusAbu Dhabi Link (on-demand minibus)
Book in the Abu Dhabi Link app within Yas Island, Saadiyat Island, Khalifa City and Al Shahama areas; AED 2 per boarding with Hafilat.
- BusExperience Abu Dhabi Shuttle Bus (free)
Free visitor shuttle on eight routes linking Yas Island, Jubail Island, Saadiyat Island, the city centre and the Grand Canal area; scan the QR code at the stop; Wi-Fi on board.
- BusYas Express (free, Yas Island)
Y1 Yas Plaza hotels - W Abu Dhabi - Ferrari World - Yas Mall - Clymb - Yas Waterworld - Warner Bros. World; Y2 from Hilton Yas Island on a similar loop; Y3 Yas Plaza - Yas Beach - Yas Marina - Yas Marina Circuit.
- BusIntercity and inter-emirate buses
From Abu Dhabi Central (Main) Bus Station: to Dubai E100 (Ibn Battuta) and E101 (Al Ghubaiba), AED 25; to Sharjah AED 30; to Al Ain hourly AED 30 (premium AED 40); to Al Dhafra AED 30-37. Tickets at the station's customer happiness office.
- TaxiAbu Dhabi taxis (TransAD and licensed operators)
Silver cars with yellow roof signs; hail on the street, call 600 53 53 53 or use the Abu Dhabi Taxi app. Silver taxi: flag fall AED 5 (06:00-22:00) or AED 5.50 (22:00-06:00), AED 1.82 per km, AED 0.50 per waiting minute, minimum fare AED 12, booking fee AED 4 day / AED 5 night. Airport taxi flag fall AED 20. Pay cash, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, PayBy or in the app. Family taxis (white roof light) have women drivers.
- Ride-hailingUber and Careem
Both operate in Abu Dhabi per Visit Abu Dhabi; What's On (Dec 2025) also names Yango, and Uber driverless taxis on Yas Island.
- BikeCareem Bike
Over 50 docked stations incl. Yas Island, Reem Island and the Corniche; day, week or month packages in the app.
- FerryAbra and water taxis
20-minute abra cruise from Emirates Heritage Village along the Corniche, AED 40 (under-3s free). Captain Tony's routes: Yellow (The Souk at Qaryat Al Beri - Eastern Mangroves Marina, pre-book), Blue (Khor Al Maqta hotels - Yas Marina, pre-book), Red (The Souk - Ritz-Carlton - Fairmont Bab Al Bahr, AED 25).
- TrainEtihad Rail
Abu Dhabi station in Mohamed Bin Zayed City, opposite Dalma Mall next to Musaffah bus station. To Fujairah (Al Hilal) about 105 min, from AED 55 Comfort / AED 120 Premium (launch offer, June 2026). To Dubai (Al Yalayis) from 30 Sep 2026: 1 h 4 min, Comfort from AED 39, Premium from AED 109; opening-day departures from Abu Dhabi 06:43, 07:43, 12:43, 16:43, 17:43.
Common trips
Zayed International AirportCity centre (Al Zahiyah, Corniche)
Bus A1 to Al Zahiyah Bus Station (24 h)
- Bus A2 to Khalifa Street
- Taxi (airport flag fall AED 20 + AED 1.82/km)
Louvre Abu Dhabi (Saadiyat Cultural District)Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
Bus 094 (Mamsha Al Saadiyat - Louvre - Zayed Grand Mosque - Wahat Al Karama)
- Free Experience Abu Dhabi shuttle (Saadiyat route; stops not verified)
- Taxi
Sheikh Zayed Grand MosqueWahat Al Karama
Bus 094 towards Wahat Al Karama
- Taxi
Marina Mall (near Breakwater, Qasr Al Watan)Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
Bus 024 Marina Mall - Al Rawdah Zayed Grand Mosque
- Taxi
Marina MallAl Mina (Zayed Port: fish market, Iranian Souk, Al Mina Centre)
Bus 009 or 011 Marina Mall - Zayed Port
- Bus 008 from Marina Al Bateen to Zayed Port Fish Market
- Taxi
Qasr Al Watan (Al Ras Al Akhdar)Al Rawdah (Abu Dhabi Courts)
Bus 034
- Taxi
Reem Mall (Al Reem Island)Marina Mall
ART (Mon-Fri, hourly 10:00-19:00 from Reem Mall)
- Bus 063 Reem Mall - Marina Mall
- Taxi
Al Reem Island (Shams Abu Dhabi)Al Hudayriat Island
Bus 73 (bike racks on board)
- Taxi
Abu Dhabi Bus StationSaadiyat Island and Jubail Mangrove Park
Bus 184 (continues to Yas Island)
- Free Experience Abu Dhabi shuttle
- Taxi
Al Zahiyah Bus Station (city centre)Yas Island (Yas Mall)
Bus 187, then free Yas Express around the island
- Taxi or ride-hail, about 25-30 min (What's On, Dec 2025)
The Souk at Qaryat Al Beri (Khor Al Maqta)Eastern Mangroves
Captain Tony's Yellow Route boat (pre-book)
- Taxi
Abu Dhabi Central Bus StationBAPS Hindu Mandir (Abu Mureikha)
Bus 203 (Saturday and Sunday only)
- Bus 223 loop from Al Shahama Bus Station
- Taxi
Abu Dhabi (Mohamed Bin Zayed City station)Dubai (Al Yalayis, Jumeirah Golf Estates)64 min
Etihad Rail from 30 Sep 2026, Comfort from AED 39
- E100 / E101 bus from Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station to Ibn Battuta or Al Ghubaiba, AED 25
- Non-stop bus MBZ City - Al Quoz, AED 25
Abu Dhabi Central Bus StationAl Ain
Intercity bus, hourly, AED 30 (premium AED 40)
- Capital Express X90 to Al Ain Central Bus Station
To and from the airport
AUH (Zayed International)
- BusFare not verified (the standard bus fare is AED 2 + 5 fils/km, but an airport-route fare was not confirmed)
A1 to Al Zahiyah Bus Station (city centre) or A2 to Khalifa Street, 24 hours. Buy a Hafilat card at the 24/7 customer office in the airport.
- TaxiAirport taxi flag fall AED 20 + AED 1.82/km (AD Mobility, Sep 2026); Visit Abu Dhabi quotes about AED 70-80 into town (undated)
Airport taxis and all licensed taxis serve the terminals; Mercedes Vito vans available at the same per-km rate.
DXB (Dubai International) to Abu Dhabi
- BusAED 35 (What's On, Oct 2023; not re-checked)
AUH Express between Ibn Battuta (Dubai) and Abu Dhabi airport, hourly 24/7, per the 2023 report; for the city, take the Dubai Metro to Ibn Battuta and the E100 bus (AED 25).
Good to know
- Get a Hafilat card (AED 10) at the airport's 24/7 customer office; tap on and off on every bus.
- Change buses within 60 minutes of tapping off and you do not pay the AED 2 boarding fee again (max 2 transfers).
- Etihad Rail's Abu Dhabi station is in Mohamed Bin Zayed City, off the island; allow time for a bus or taxi into the centre.
- The Experience Abu Dhabi shuttle and Yas Express are free; use them for Saadiyat, Yas and the Grand Canal area.
- Taxi fares rise at night (22:00-06:00: AED 5.50 flag fall); airport taxis start at AED 20.
- Keep your taxi receipt: the call centre can trace the car if you leave something behind.
- The ART runs only Monday to Friday, once an hour.
Useful apps
- Darbi (AD Mobility journey planner)
- Abu Dhabi Taxi
- Abu Dhabi Link
- Careem (incl. Careem Bike)
- Uber
- Yango
- Etihad Rail app