Dubai to Abu Dhabi Transfer Prices
A private car from Dubai to Abu Dhabi can be booked three ways, and the right one depends on how long you will spend in the capital. Every price covers the car, the chauffeur and fuel.
| Booking | What it covers | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One-way transfer | Door to door, any Dubai pickup to any Abu Dhabi address | AED 700-900 |
| Same-day round trip, Mercedes Vito | Both legs, driver waits up to 4 hours | AED 1,000 |
| Full day, BMW 7 Series | 8 hours, 1-3 passengers | AED 1,200-1,600 |
| Full day, Mercedes Vito | 8 hours, up to 8 passengers | AED 1,300-1,700 |
| Full day, GMC Yukon | 8 hours, 7-8 seats | AED 1,400-1,800 |
Where a quote lands inside its band depends on the vehicle, the exact addresses and the hour. Time past the eighth hour of a full day is billed at the standard hourly rate, from AED 200 an hour in the BMW, and tolls are added at cost. For what a street taxi charges on the meter, see the Dubai to Abu Dhabi taxi fare guide.
One-Way, Return or Full Day
- One-way transfer: for hotel moves, family visits and overnight stays. Coming back on a later date? Book a second one-way for that day.
- Same-day return: the driver drops you, waits up to four hours and drives you home. It suits one meeting, a hospital appointment, or the Grand Mosque and lunch.
- Full day: eight hours of car and driver, for sightseeing, several meetings or a day that could overrun. If you will probably need more than four hours in Abu Dhabi, book this rather than stretching a return.
While you are busy, the driver parks nearby and stays on WhatsApp. Message 15 to 20 minutes before you finish and the car is at the entrance when you walk out. A ride app cannot do that: the car leaves after the drop-off, and the trip home is a new booking at whatever the price is when your meeting ends.
The Route: E11 or E311
Dubai and Abu Dhabi are about 140 km apart centre to centre. Two motorways connect them, and the driver picks one on the morning's live traffic.
- E11, Sheikh Zayed Road: the direct coastal motorway past Jebel Ali and Ghantoot, named Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Road once it crosses into Abu Dhabi.
- E311, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road: the inland alternative, extended in 2016 into Abu Dhabi as Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Street, which reaches the capital from the Al Falah side. Older guides still call it Emirates Road, a name the E611 took over in 2013.
Normal traffic means 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes. Allow 2 hours or more when leaving Dubai between 7:00 and 9:30am on a weekday, in the 4 to 7pm peak, on Friday afternoons heading into Abu Dhabi and on Sunday evenings coming back.
Tolls. Salik charges AED 6 per crossing in Dubai's peaks (6 to 10am and 4 to 8pm, Monday to Saturday), AED 4 at other times and nothing from 1am to 6am. From DIFC or Downtown the E11 normally means three charged crossings, because the two Al Safa gates count once when passed within an hour; from Dubai Marina, only the Jebel Ali gate. Since 4 May 2026, Abu Dhabi's Darb gate at Ghantoot on the E11 adds AED 4 around the clock, and the bridges onto Abu Dhabi island charge AED 4 at weekday peak hours. The E311 itself has no toll gates. Whichever road the driver takes, tolls go on the bill at cost.
DIFC to Abu Dhabi: The Corporate Day Trip
From DIFC the trip is usually a working day, often to ADGM, the Abu Dhabi Global Market on Al Maryah Island. ADGM is the capital's counterpart to DIFC, and in 2023 its jurisdiction was extended to neighbouring Al Reem Island. DIFC sits on Sheikh Zayed Road, so you are on the motorway within minutes of pickup.
For a 9am meeting at ADGM, leave DIFC by 6:45 to 7:00am; for 10am, by 7:45 to 8:00am. One meeting and lunch fits the same-day return. A second meeting, say ADGM in the morning and ADNOC's headquarters on the Corniche after lunch, usually makes it a full day. The BMW 7 Series suits one to three executives, with a rear cabin quiet enough for calls on the way back. For driving within the district, see private driver DIFC, and for company billing, corporate driver hire.
Downtown Dubai to Abu Dhabi: When to Leave
Downtown Dubai to central Abu Dhabi is roughly 140 to 150 km, depending on where you finish. The driver collects you from your hotel lobby or apartment tower around Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall or Business Bay, and the car joins Sheikh Zayed Road straight away.
For a 9am appointment in Abu Dhabi, leave Downtown by 7:00 to 7:15am; for 10am, by 7:45 to 8:00am. If you can choose, avoid leaving between 7:30 and 9:00am, when the Dubai outskirts and the approaches into Abu Dhabi are at their slowest. Before 7am is the most reliable window, and a 9:30am start suits a sightseeing day. For trips around the district itself, see private driver in Downtown Dubai.
What a Day Trip Looks Like
A classic sightseeing day fits the eight hours of a full-day booking:
- 9:30am. Pickup at your hotel or home in Dubai, after the worst of the morning traffic.
- 11:00am. Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. Entry is free with a pre-booked online access pass, and you walk in from Souq Al Jami, the underground visitor centre, through a pedestrian tunnel. Cover arms and legs; women also cover their hair.
- 12:45pm. Across the city to Saadiyat Island for lunch.
- 1:45pm. Louvre Abu Dhabi, which is closed on Mondays.
- 3:30pm. Leave for Dubai, home by about 5:30pm.
On Fridays the mosque closes to visitors from 11:30am to 2:30pm, so see the Louvre first. On a Monday, swap the Louvre for the Corniche or Yas Island. Stay for sunset and the time past eight hours is billed at the hourly rate.
For families, the theme parks on Yas Island can fill the whole day instead. Yas sits on the Dubai side of the capital, about 10 minutes from Abu Dhabi International Airport and 25 minutes short of the city centre, so the drive is shorter both ways. For race weekend at Yas Marina Circuit, see F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix chauffeur.
Abu Dhabi Destinations
| Area | What is there | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque | The mosque and Souq Al Jami | Free, pre-booked access pass |
| Saadiyat Island | Louvre Abu Dhabi, Zayed National Museum, Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, teamLab Phenomena, beaches | Guggenheim Abu Dhabi due 11 December 2026 |
| Yas Island | Ferrari World, Warner Bros. World, Yas Waterworld, SeaWorld, Yas Marina Circuit, Etihad Arena | Dubai side of the city |
| Al Maryah Island | ADGM, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, The Galleria | ADGM also covers Al Reem Island |
| Corniche, west end | ADNOC headquarters, Qasr Al Watan, Emirates Palace | Longest leg from Dubai |
Catching a flight from AUH? See Dubai to Abu Dhabi Airport. Starting in the capital, see Abu Dhabi to Dubai.
Chauffeur from Dubai to Abu Dhabi: Choosing the Vehicle
- BMW 7 Series: one to three passengers, the usual choice for business trips and couples.
- GMC Yukon: seven to eight seats. In practice seven passengers with carry-on bags, or five with full-size suitcases.
- Mercedes Vito: up to eight passengers, for groups and delegations who want to arrive together.
Dubai to Abu Dhabi Car Rental with Driver
A Dubai to Abu Dhabi car rental with driver is the full-day booking above: vehicle, chauffeur and fuel in one price, with no UAE licence, deposit or rental paperwork, and nobody in your group driving 280 km in a day or dealing with tolls and parking. Hourly and multi-day rates are on car with driver Dubai. For a car and driver based in the capital for several days, see car with driver in Abu Dhabi.
Regular Commuters and Longer Itineraries
Travelling between the two cities every week? We can set up a standing arrangement with the same driver, schedule and pricing, and the monthly driver page explains dedicated contracts. Trips that carry on past Abu Dhabi, to Al Ain for example, are quoted as one itinerary, so send the whole plan on WhatsApp.
Sources
- Two new gates added to the Darb toll gate system - Abu Dhabi Mobility (Integrated Transport Centre)
- Visiting hours - Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre
- Louvre Abu Dhabi - Visit Abu Dhabi
Fares, numbers and rules change. Check the official source before you rely on a figure.