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Getting Around |
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Public
Transportation
Cars are the main method of getting around Dubai and the major hotels
provide shuttle bus services for guests.
The Dubai Municipality
operates the public bus service from 06:00-23:00. Depending
on the destination adult fares are Dh 1-3.50 and these are paid
to the driver upon boarding. It is useful to have the exact change.
Bus passes
Bus passes are available as follows:
 Smart
Cards give Dh22 worth of rides for Dh20
Monthly
passes (called taufee) can be purchased for Dh75, for rides
on one side of the creek. For Dh120, you can have unlimited travel
within the whole city.
Passes, timetables and maps can be found at the bus stations in
Deira and Bur Dubai. Bus numbers and routes are posted in both Arabic
and English.
The wooden boats, locally referred to as abras,
cross the creek from Bur Dubai to the Textile Souk area in Deira
from 06:00-24:00. The journey last about 5 minutes and is an excellent
value at Dh .50.
Taxis
Air-conditioned taxis can be flagged on the streets or pre-booked
by phone. Metered taxis from the Dubai Transport Corporation
(telephone: (04) 234 1111), are recognizable by their cream colour
and uniformed drivers. At times you may get a driver that does not
have detailed knowledge about the city and may ask you for directions.
Metered taxis: the pick-up fare is Dh 3 and Dh
3.50 between 22:00 and 06:00. For pre-booked metered taxis the starting
fare is Dh 4 and the rate is then charged at Dh1.25 per kilometre.
Fixed fares are applied only for travel outside the city.
Non-metered taxis generally charge Dh 5 for short distances
and Dh 10-15 for longer journeys within the city. It is possible
to hire a taxi for 12 hours for a fixed fee of Dh 500.
Tips are not expected.
Limousines
Available from the major car hire companies (see the Car Hire section)
and the Dubai Transport Corporation (telephone: (04) 208 0808).
Fares from the airport into Deira or Bur Dubai are about Dh60, and
daily hire is available from Dh1000.
Driving
in Dubai
Dubai has a well sign-posted road network.The majority of roads
have 2 to 4 lanes. The driving standards though do not match the
quality of the roads. Many drivers travel erratically, change lanes
at will. and are known to make sudden and dangerous manoeuvres.
Accidents are frequent and visitors are cautioned to drive with
caution.
Outside the city, sign-posts are rare and having good road map is
essential to avoid heading aimlessly into the desert. Increasingly
traffic jams are also a problem, particularly in Deira and along
Jumeirah Beach.
The car parks are managed by Dubai
Municipality (telephone: (04) 285 9401 or 221 5555) and cost
Dh2 per hour. Two central covered car parks are located near the
Spice Souk and Bani Yas Square in Deira.
Car
Hire
Valid passports and International Driving Permits are required to
hire a car in Dubai. Tourists from most European, North American
and Asian countries can obtain a temporary local driving licence
if they do not hold an international licence. To obtain one a valid
national licence, passport and two passport-sized photographs are
needed. Full comprehensive insurance is essential and recommended.
Should you be involved in an accident, the police must
be informed and a written police report must obtained. Otherwise
the hire company’s insurance may deny coverage. The minimum
age for drivers is 21 years old and they must have held a full licence
for one year. For more expensive or luxury models, the minimum age
limit is often 25 years. Payments must be made by credit card.
Major companies include Avis
(telephone: (04) 295 9899), Budget
(telephone: (04) 282 3030), Europcar
(telephone: (04) 352 0033) and Fast Rent a Car
(telephone: (04) 224 5040). Hiring a standard saloon car costs anywhere
from Dh170 per day and about Dh900 per week. Collision damage waiver
is usually an additional Dh20 per day.
Bicycle
Hire
Because of it's desert environment, Dubai is not a cyclist’s
paradise. However some hotels do rent bicycles and it varies if
they will hire to non-guests. |
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