Zayed International (AUH): buy the Hafilat card first
Abu Dhabi's public buses take no cash. You need a Hafilat card, bought from the ticket machines near the bus stops, just outside arrivals.
- The public bus network needs a Hafilat card. There is no cash fare.
- Buy and top it up at the ticket machines near the bus stops.
- The bus stops are just outside the arrivals area.
- A one-way fare is around AED 4, which makes the bus dramatically cheaper than a taxi.
The card, and where it is sold
- Abu Dhabi's buses run on the Hafilat card and do not take cash.
- The card is bought and topped up at the ticket machines near the bus stops at the airport.
- The bus stops are just outside the arrivals area, so there is no need to settle for a taxi without looking for the bus.
The fare
- A one-way public bus fare is around AED 4. Against an airport taxi into the city, the difference is an order of magnitude.
What to weigh
- Zayed International is well outside Abu Dhabi city, on the mainland side of the bridges, so this is a long ride whichever way you do it.
- With luggage, in August, the taxi is a defensible choice. In February with hand baggage the bus is obviously right.
- Dubai is about 90 minutes away by road and there are scheduled coaches between the two, so an AUH arrival for a Dubai trip is a normal thing to do.
Ride-hailing
- Careem and Uber operate in Abu Dhabi alongside the metered taxis, with the usual pickup arrangements at the terminal.
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