Dubai Transport

Although Dubai is not famed for its public transport system, there are still several ways of navigating the city without your own vehicle, with a combination of buses, mini vans, boats and taxis providing access to every part of the metropolitan area. The point of entry for most visitors to the Emirates is the internationally-acclaimed Dubai International Airport.

Dubai International Airport was the first airport to be built in the United Arab Emirates and is now the fastest growing airport in the Middle East. The airport is conveniently located less than three miles from the city centre and has won numerous international awards for architectural design as well as for its modern and efficient facilities.

The airport currently consists of two terminals, with a third due to open in 2006 to accommodate Emirates new fleet of huge Airbus A380s. Terminal 1 is the heart of the airport, with five floors containing Arrivals and Departures, shopping and restaurant facilities and the airport's hotel. Terminal 2 was built to reduce the congestion at Terminal 1 and is used mainly for regional and domestic flights.

Dubai Airport is well known for the excellent facilities it provides for passengers, with dozens of lounges, a business centre, children's play areas, medical facilities and a health club all provided. Passengers requiring assistance with accommodation, transport or tourist information will find information centres located in both terminals.

Dubai is well known as a shopper's paradise and this is no more evident anywhere than at the city's airport, with countless shops offering everything from books and newspapers to designer clothes and jewellery. Refreshment options are equally extensive, with over 25 bars, cafés and restaurants in Terminal 1 alone and many more spread around the rest of the site.

Arriving passengers have fairly limited options for the short trip into the city, with public buses, private buses, taxis and limousines being the only choices. Public buses run between both terminals and the city bus station on a regular basis, while Dubai International Airport buses run an air-conditioned service between the airport and the city's many hotels.

Prepaid taxis are available from outside the terminal buildings for the 10-minute journey into the city, while those passengers looking to arrive at their destination in style can hire one of the airport's fleet of limousines. Passengers should be aware that, like many modern cities, Dubai regularly suffers from bad traffic congestion, meaning the short 10-minute drive into the city can be a much slower affair at peak times.

Although travelling by car is still the main choice of transport for the majority of local residents, the city does have a reasonable choice of public transport available to visitors. Those wishing to explore the city at their own pace can utilise the city's endless fleets of taxis, the public bus system and the city's water taxis, while many hotels offer their own minivans to ferry guests from door to door.

Dubai is currently planning and constructing a major monorail network that will forever change the face of the city's transport system; however, it will be several years before the project is completed. Until the new system is operational, the best way to get around Dubai is via the public bus system that covers a wide area of the city, with a system of prepaid passes making it an inexpensive option. Visitors wishing to take advantage of the city's buses should head to the Central Bus Station, where you will find timetables, maps and bus passes on offer, while non-Arabic speakers will be glad to know that all routes and bus numbers are posted in both Arabic and English.

Another popular option for exploring the city is to take advantage of the large number of taxis that ply their trade on the city's streets, with both metered and non-metered taxis available on virtually every street corner. Another method of transport not to be missed is the fleet of simple wooden water taxis that regularly cross the creek which divides the city. This short and inexpensive service provides an atmospheric way of crossing between the main city area and Deira on the opposite shore. Another transport choice for the physically fit is to hire a bicycle from your hotel; however, the desert environment and the generally poor standard of driving in the city make this a less popular and potentially foolhardy option.