How to get from Al Ain to the Airport and Other Destinations
Al Ain is the only big city in the United Arab Emirates which is located far from the sea. It is considered to be the fourth most populous city in the country, and it relates to The Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The travellers can get from this locality to other points of the country by public transport, taxi or by transfer.
Taxi from Al Ain
Taxi in Al Ain, like everywhere else in The United Arab Emirates, is a popular mode of transportation. It is due to the fact that public transport just does not run to some cities and attractions. You can order a car at the reception desk at a hotel or find it at special parkings. The official Al Ain taxi service cabs have checkers on their roofs and taximeters inside. The fare is indicated in dirhams. If you have decided to pay to the driver in dollars, get ready to give more money than it is shown on the taximeter display.
Taxi drivers around the country work according to the official tariff: the starting fee can vary from one to seven dollars, an hour of waiting costs 8 dollars, a minimum fare is 2,70 dollars, and every next kilometer of the route costs 0,50 dollars. If you are crossing the border between the Emirates, you will have to pay 5,5 dollars extra. It is not common to leave tips.
The route from Al Ain to Abu Dhabi will cost you about 70 dollars, while the trip to Al Aqah will cost you around 150 dollars.
Save at least 12 dollars preferably in small notes. In order to increase the rate, the taxi drivers often intentionally drive through the traffic jams, choose more complicated routes and do not give change from the small amount of money, pretending that they do not speak English well.
Transfer from Al Ain
Transfer from Al Ain is a convenient service for those who do not speak foreign languages well, or who do not want to overpay for the taxi and run around the city holding heavy suitcases searching for a public bus.
You can visit the Kiwitaxi website at home, thoughtfully choose the route you need as well as the car class, the date of the trip, and if necessary, book a child seat. After all the settings are done, you will see the final fare which will not change after the booking process. You can either make a full prepayment with a credit card or make a partial payment: in this case, you will have to pay the rest of the amount to a driver at the end of the trip.
A two-hour trip from Al Ain to Dubai will cost you about 87 dollars, and the trip to Sharjah of the same duration will cost you approximately 103 dollars. The ride in a car for four passengers to Abu Dhabi International Airport will have a price of 93 dollars and will take 1 hour and 40 minutes.
Kiwitaxi provides the high-level service: professional drivers, looking and behaving appropriately, and comfortable cars, which have been in use for no more than 7 years.
Public Transport from Al Ain
The nearest airport to Al Ain is located in Abu Dhabi, 30 kilometers away. The flights in 85 directions to 49 countries of the world are operated from there.
One can get from Al Ain to that airport on the 24-hour buses № 490, 221, 240, Х81, and А1. The departure is every 40 minutes, and the fare is about 1,25 dollars.
One can also get to Dubai and Abu Dhabi from the oasis city. The trip will be comfortable since the cars are equipped with the air conditioners. The travel time is about two hours, and the price for the trip is from three to five dollars. The buses to Sharjah depart every 45 minutes from Al Ain bus station. You can buy a ticket for a bus for 7,60 dollars.
If you do not know how to get back to Al Ain, check the timetables beforehand on the official website of the Emirate.
Al Ain: useful information
Al Ain is the popular place to rest with both tourists and locals. In the city center, there is an oasis – palm plantations, where more than a hundred kinds of these trees grow. There are a lot of songbirds due to rich vegetation. Furthermore, the biggest flower park is located in the city.
The calling card of the city is considered to be Jebel Hafeet – the highest rocky upland in Abu Dhabi. It offers a wonderful view of this green city, surrounded by the sands. At the foot of the mountains, there are the hot mineral spring and more than 500 tombs, which were built 5000 years ago.
The main sights of Al Ain are Al Jahili Fortress, Mazyad, The Eastern Fort, and the Muraijib Fort. The architecture of these buildings captivates by their beauty.
Also, you could be interested in The Al Ain Heritage and Culture Village. This is the open-air museum where the life of the Emirate dwellers is presented. There you can see what ancient craft people did many years ago.
Camel races is an interesting entertainment in the city. They are carried out on the Al Maqam track in the mornings on the weekends and holidays. The entrance is free. The biggest zoo in the country with the size of 900 hectares is also located in Al Ain. There you can see four thousand animals of more than 180 species. Some of them allow petting and feeding from the hand.
