Emirates Airlines operates regular daily flights from Moscow (Domodedovo) and St. Petersburg to Dubai. The low-cost Dubai air carrier Flydubay flies from 8 Russian cities (Yekaterinburg, Samara, Kazan, Ufa, Mineralnye Vody, Volgograd, Rostov-on-Don and Krasnodar). Aeroflot (from Moscow, Sheremetyevo), Es Seven (from Novosibirsk) and Ural Airlines (from Yekaterinburg, Samara, Kazan, Chelyabinsk) also operate flights to Dubai, Mineralnye Vody, Nizhny Novgorod, Volgograd and Perm).
Note: according to allcitypopulation, the population of United Arab Emirates is 9.991 million (2021).
Etihad Airways offers daily flights on the route Moscow – Abu Dhabi. Charters from Russia fly to Dubai and Abu Dhabi several times a week, on “peak” dates, the frequency of flights may increase. The duration of the flight from the capital is about 5 hours.
Air Arabia flies to Sharjah from Moscow, Yekaterinburg, Ufa, Kazan and Rostov-on-Don.
A direct flight from Moscow to Dubai will cost from 100 USD, to Abu Dhabi – from 30 USD. You can get from St. Petersburg only with a transfer (for example, in Moscow), a flight to Dubai costs from 160 USD, to Abu Dhabi – from 75 USD. The prices on the page are for December 2021.
Details on how to get to popular regions of the UAE: Abu Dhabi, Dubai.
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Transport
There is a bus service between the emirates. For the most popular departures, buses run approximately once every 30 minutes, the fare is from 18 AED, depending on the distance. There is no rail transport in the UAE yet, but the Etihad Rail project is under development, which will provide communication between the emirates, as well as connect the UAE with neighboring countries – Saudi Arabia and Oman.
There are 5 highways in the UAE connecting the emirates: E 11 (Sheikh Zayed Road), E 311 (Emirates Road), E 44 (Dubai-Hatta Highway), E 77 (Dubai-Al Habab Road) and E 66 (Oud Metha road).
Fines for traffic violations are huge. Passing a red light will cost about 1000 AED.
Tickets for intercity buses are sold at the stations, detailed information about the schedule and fares is at the office. UAE Ministry of Transport website.
Public transport within cities
Public transport in the cities of the UAE is represented primarily by buses; in Dubai, the subway operates automatically. The subway has a Gold class car: this is the first car from the window of which you can watch the road “through the eyes of the driver”, the cost of the trip is calculated at a double rate. All types of transport can be paid for by cards (similar to the Moscow Troika), depending on the tariff, they are different:
- red: maximum 10 trips, valid for 90 days, costs 2 AED;
- blue: name card, 5 years, 70 AED(of which 20 AED in the account);
- silver: 5 years, 25 AED(of which 19 AED in the account);
- gold: 5 years, card for travel in Gold class, cost – 25 AED(19 AED in the account).
There are also water buses, water taxis and traditional water taxi boats – “abras” – which run along the Dubai Creek. Most hotels offer their own buses that take their guests to the city center or to the beach.
Taxi is the most common means of transport in Dubai. In the UAE, it can be municipal and private; cars are equipped with meters only in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. A municipal taxi can be found at special parking lots, the trip will cost – from 8 AED. Night and phone calls are subject to an additional charge. Dubai also runs special “women’s taxis” with female drivers.
Private taxis are cheaper, especially if you can bargain. Local taxi drivers are very emotional and like to swear at other drivers on the road, don’t let that scare you – it’s the way it is here. Usually they are aware of the location of key attractions, hotels and shopping centers, but can easily get lost if the place is not very popular and wander around the city for a long time. It is better to agree on the fare in advance, otherwise there is a risk of overpaying.
Double-decker tourist buses run around tourist cities. There are day and night tours, during the period specified in the tariff (from 1 day) you can get off at any stop provided for by the route and go further on the next bus. The cost depends on the specific city. There are special offers for families, children, schoolchildren and students.
Car rental in the United Arab Emirates
It is not difficult to rent a car in the Emirates: cars of the latest brands are offered for rent everywhere with or without a driver for any period. To rent, you will need an international driver’s license issued at least a year ago (driver’s licenses of the CIS countries in the Emirates are not valid); Driver must be at least 21 years of age. It is strongly discouraged to take a car without insurance, and in some emirates, for example, in Dubai, it is impossible to rent a car without insurance at all. The insurance is valid only in the UAE. It does not work in the enclaves of the Sultanate of Oman, so tourists on wheels should carefully choose their travel routes. The minimum car rental period is 24 hours.
The speed limit in built-up areas is 60 km/h, on autobahns 100 km/h. Radars and surveillance cameras are placed everywhere, information about violators immediately goes to the local police. Drunk driving is strictly prohibited: it threatens with deportation from the country, and in some cases even imprisonment. Fine for not wearing seat belts – 400 AED. Many rental cars are equipped with an audible warning system that is activated when the speed limit is exceeded.
- How to rent a car in the UAE