General Information » Getting Around » Getting Around

Cars are the most popular method of getting around Dubai and the Emirates, either by private vehicle or by taxi. There is a reasonable public bus service, and walking and cycling are possible but the soaring summer heat and multiple-lane roads put most people off. There are a few motorcyclists on the roads, but most of them are courageous couriers or fearless fastfood delivery drivers, as Dubai’s aggressive drivers make it an unsafe place for two wheelers. There are no trains and trams yet, but 2009 will see Dubai’s first metro running both under and above ground – see Key Projects.

The city’s road network is excellent, although a little complicated, and the majority of main roads are two, three, four or more lanes. They are all well signposted and, in this respect, Dubai is probably the best emirate. Blue or green signs indicate the main areas or locations out of the city and brown signs show heritage sites, places of interest, and hospitals.

Dubai is a relatively easy city to negotiate. The creek divides Bur Dubai (to the south) from Deira (to the north). The creek currently has three main crossing points – Al Shindagha Tunnel, Maktoum Bridge and Al Garhoud Bridge (a third bridge is due for completion in early 2007). The creek can also be crossed by a pedestrian foot tunnel near Shindagha, or by boat (these water taxis are known locally as abras). Dubai is growing away from the creek though, and the new developments generally have good, modern road networks, often completed before the houses are.

To ease the pressure on inner-city roads the E311 Emirates Road was built at a cost of Dhs.150 million. This connects Abu Dhabi directly to Sharjah and the Northern Emirates. In 2004 Al Khail Rd was opened with the hope of further relieving the congestion on Sheikh Zayed Road. There is also a ban on all trucks on main routes at busy times of the day. More bypasses, or ring roads, are planned, extending further out into the desert, in an effort to keep traffic away from the city’s streets. New interchanges are also planned, or under construction, such as those linking the Palm Jumeirah with Sheikh Zayed Road. For the time being, constant lane closures, contra-flows and hold-ups, are an unfortunate reality for many.

Road names

Roads are named with white road signs although for many streets these are rarely referred to. People generally rely on landmarks such as shops, hotels, petrol stations or notable buildings to give directions or to get their bearings. Similarly, while there is a numbered address system, few people actually use it. Thus an accommodation ‘address’ may read somethi...