This is the most affordable way to travel between the two emirates by bus. Two general services are running: E100 and E101. Both services pick up and drop off from the same location in the capital, Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station, in Al Wahda, but in Dubai, each service serves the other end of the city. For travelers to and from Dubai’s Jumeirah Palm Island, Marina, JBR, or JLT area, the E101 bus service is the best. The bus arrives and departs from Ibn Battuta, which has a taxi station and a subway station for anyone who needs to move on. For people in the city Centre, the E100 serves the Bur Ghan’s Al Ghubaiba bus station and is a stop for travelers who want to head to Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa, Jumeirah, or the Dubai Creek area.
The service runs multiple times per hour, although the E100 service is slightly more frequent than the E101 frequency. However, you don’t have to wait more than 30 minutes to get on the bus. The full schedule can be found here. One-way tickets between Dubai and Abu Dhabi cost Dh25. To board, you need to recharge your RTA NOL card, and you can buy Dh25 in one go. The journey did take a bit longer than a taxi. The route between Al Ghubaiba and Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station lasted about 1 hour and 50 minutes, but cost one-tenth of the cab worth it. The coach is also air-conditioned and offers free Wi-Fi to make the journey more comfortable. Abu Dhabi also has two stops-Samha and Samha Village.
What is the total travel time?
One and a half to two hours.
How much does it cost?
Tickets are AED 25 one-way tickets and can be paid with a standard RTA NOL card.
How does it work?
This is by far the cheapest route from Dubai to Abu Dhabi without your car, depending on the area of Dubai you live in, there are two options. For tourists in the older parts of the city (Burma Dubai, Satwa, Calama), bus E100 will take you directly from Al Ghubaiba Bus Station in Bur Dubai to Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station. Those who live in Marina, JLT, or JBR areas can also take the E101 bus from the Ibn Battuta subway station, saving you round trips. Buses at Al Ghubaiba bus station run several times an hour (usually every 15 minutes) while waiting for 30 minutes between buses departing from the Ibn Battuta subway station.
Good news, it’s easy to take a bus from Dubai to Abu Dhabi! The route has two
bus lines, and each line runs every 30 minutes from 5 am to 10 pm on weekdays
Bus E100
The E100 bus starts at Dubai’s Al Ghubaiba bus stop, stops at the Port and Customs Department’s Al Jafiliyah Landside Metro bus stop, and then continues to the Abu Dhabi bus stop. Especially Al Jadiliyah may be an interesting starting point, as it is also on the red subway line! However, it may be easier to find bus stops and buy tickets at the Al Ghubaiba bus station the journey takes more than two hours, depending on the traffic on the route. If your hotel is located in Bur Dubai or Dubai Deira, take this bus!
Bus E101
The E101 bus also runs from Dubai to Abu Dhabi but starts at Ibn Battuta Bus Station. The bus station is directly connected to Ibn Battuta Metro Station on the Dubai Red Metro Line. So if you live in South Dubai, for example, Dubai, this bus is your best choice, Dubai Marina.
Since the bus does not have to drive through the city all the time, there is less chance of traffic congestion during peak hours, and it only takes 1.5 hours from Dubai to Abu Dhabi and vice versa. If traffic is massive, if you are located north of Dubai, making the E101 bus is even faster! Just take the subway and get on the bus at Ibn Battuta! Close to Abu Dhabi, the E101 bus has direct access to two stops that are usually unrelated to tourists. Just wait until you reach the last stop!
Bus ticket from Dubai to Abu Dhabi:
You can use an NOL card (public transport card from Dubai) or purchase a separate ticket at the counter. If you take the E100 bus at the Al Jafiliya bus stop, you will need an NOL card as there is no office for the ticket.
You don’t need to buy tickets in advance or book a seat. Just bring your NOL card (with enough credit) and tap the bus just like you would on any bus.
If you don’t have an NOL card, you can easily buy one from the bus station staff and top up the necessary credit. It’s super simple and fast-once you return to Dubai, and you can use it in Dubai too! Most visitors should be able to use an NOL silver card (25 dirhams with a credit of 19 dirhams).
Please note that buses from Dubai to Abu Dhabi (or from Abu Dhabi to Dubai) cannot use Abu Dhabi’s Haferatka!
Bus time from Dubai to Abu Dhabi
Finding the exact bus time from Dubai to Abu Dhabi is not easy. Generally, buses run from 5 am to 12 pm, and there are some restrictions on weekends (the UAE weekend is Friday and Saturday!).
Given that buses run every 10-30 minutes, it doesn’t matter, but still, you can search the timetable for the exact bus timings.
True that, thank you dubai police