Overview of taxi services in the UAE: how to call, prices, transfers

A feature of recreation in the UAE is a specific public transport system. There are few scheduled buses, the metro only works in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The way out is to use a taxi in the UAE, here it is the most popular way to travel around cities and between emirates. But before that, you need to find out the services, fares, conditions for receiving the service.

Taxi services in the country

There are 3 official taxi services in the country – Uber, Careem and RTA Taxi. In addition, each emirate may have its own municipal organizations. Their activities are controlled by the state. The quality of transportation, fares, safety of cars, their technical condition are checked. Therefore, to order a transfer from Dubai or Sharjah airports, it is recommended to call official taxis in the UAE, this can be done through a mobile application, by phone or in parking lots.

Rating of taxi services in the United Arab Emirates, cost and assessment of the quality of services:

• RTA Taxi. This is a local transport company with a large fleet. Feature – there are “pink” cars designed only for the transport of women. Popular in Dubai and Sharjah. The price of the service is from 1.5 dirhams.
• Careem. It was opened relatively recently, organizes transfers from international airports, can accept individual and group applications. The fare for a taxi in the UAE is 1.2 dirhams per 1 km.
• Uber. This is an international organization that hires people with their cars. Features – the lowest prices. The minimum fare is from 4 dirhams. However, the quality of service is “lame”, according to tourists, drivers often try to deceive, take them along a longer route.

In addition to licensed taxi services, illegal drivers work in the UAE. There are no meters in the cars, so the fare must be negotiated in advance. It is not recommended to use their services. But if it happened and they are trying to deceive you, you can safely dial the police phone “999” and complain. In the United Arab Emirates, there are heavy fines for illegal transportation, especially to tourist destinations.

Prices and tariffs

The fare for a taxi in the UAE is formed in stages – payment for 1 km, for landing and for crossing the borders of the emirates. Therefore, distance and route must be taken into account. The latter is recommended to be compiled in advance to check with the actual. Movement within the resort or city for tourists will cost up to 60 dirhams. Departure outside the borders of the emirate – from 80 dirhams. The reason is the mandatory collection at the border 20 DH.

Taxi cost items in different emirates of the UAE:

• Abu Dhabi. For landing you need to pay 5-5.5 dirhams. The fare for 1 km is 1.82. If the car was called by phone or through the application, an additional charge of 3-4 dirhams is charged. The minimum price of a trip is 12. The work is controlled by the state service TransAD.
• Dubai. Landing on the street – 5 dirhams, if it happened through the application or by phone – 8-12. The price for 1 km of the way is 1.71. The minimum cost of the service is 12 DH. An additional AED 5 will be charged when crossing the Dubai Creek. Advantage – you can pay with the NOL common transport card.
• Sharjah. In the emirate, the highest prices for 1 km are 2 AED. But landing is cheap – 3-4 AED. Above the minimum price for the trip – 13.4 dirhams.
• Ajman. For landing you need to pay 2.5 dirhams, the price of 1 km of the way is 1.54. An additional AED 5 will be charged for ordering through the app or by phone. This emirate has the cheapest taxi in the UAE, but the quality is slightly lower.

Rates in Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah are the same as in Ajman. When planning a trip between the emirates, an additional fee of 20 dirhams is charged. Therefore, it is more convenient to travel by bus for long distances.

How to order a taxi

The disadvantage of taxis in the United Arab Emirates is the long waiting time. If you call the car by phone or through the application, the arrival time of the car can be 20-30 minutes. Therefore, experienced tourists “catch” a taxi in the UAE on the street or in their parking places. The latter are located near shopping centers, parks and attractions. An additional plus is that you do not need to pay for a call through the application or phone.

But it is not always possible to “catch” a taxi on the street. Therefore, you need to know alternative options for ordering a car:

• Mobile app. Each service has created its own version, you can set the interface language in English, there is no Russian in the menu. You need to specify the landing place “in” the point of arrival “to”. The disadvantage is the waiting time.
• On the phone, call. This can be done at the reception desk in the hotel, hotel. There are usually a few free cars near large hotel complexes.
• On the street. Drivers understand the international gesture of a raised hand. But if they have passengers, they won’t stop. You need to look for free cars on the main streets, near parks, beaches.

The cost of a taxi in the UAE depends on the class of the car. Sedans have the lowest price, followed by minivans, SUVs, and buses. Most services have executive class cars, limousines. In some cases, you can even order a helicopter.

[ su _ note ]Important: the driver must have the phone number of his company. If there is a conflict, you should first dial their representation and only then apply to the public service.[/ su _ note ]

The cost of transfers to popular destinations

You can calculate the preliminary fare through the online application. However, it may differ from the actual one. The reason is possible traffic jams, repair work. Then the driver will choose a longer path.

Overview of taxi fares depending on the route

Where	Where	Price, USD	price, rub.
Dubai airport	Sharjah, center	67	1162
Dubai airport	Downtown Dubai	77	1328
Sharjah airport	Center of Sharjah	47	820
Sharjah	Dubai	91	1566

These are the minimum fares. They can change upwards when ordering a minibus, minivan or other spacious transport. This must be specified at the time of ordering – the number of passengers, whether there are children, the amount of luggage.