Home / United Arab Emirates / Abu Dhabi / Zayed International Airport
Abu Dhabi airporttoAbu Dhabi city center
To Downtown Abu Dhabi and Al Zahiyah · One way · All prices are totals for 1 adult · All service hours
4 transfer optionsCar hire · not ranked
Between them, around the clock.Between them, around the clock: the Bus A1 to Al Zahiyah runs 06:05–23:05, the Night bus N2 to Al Zahiyah runs 23:20–05:50, the Bus A2 to Khalifa Street runs 06:12–22:50.
Recommended
The cheapest way in. The Welcome Pickups transfer to Abu Dhabi is 18 minutes quicker for AED 139 more, which is not worth it at this party size.
Bus
Bus A1 to Al Zahiyah
A1 · Abu Dhabi Mobility
46–52 min rideEvery 30 min06:05–23:05
Terminal A bus stop→Al Zahiyah bus station
AED 5total for 1 adultAED 5 eachBuy ticketOn Abu Dhabi Mobility
Pickup, hours & luggage
Boards at. Terminal A bus stop, just outside arrivals
Charged by distance on a Hafilat card: AED 2 to board plus 5 fils a kilometre, never more than AED 5; to the city it is usually about AED 4. No cash on board; children aged 10 and under ride free.
Hours. Every 30 minutes from 06:05 to 23:05, every day. From 23:20 to 05:50 night bus N2 runs to the same bus station.
AED 5total for 1 adultAED 5 eachBuy ticketOn Abu Dhabi Mobility
Pickup, hours & luggage
Boards at. Terminal A bus stop, just outside arrivals
Charged by distance on a Hafilat card: AED 2 to board plus 5 fils a kilometre, never more than AED 5; to the city it is usually about AED 4. No cash on board; children aged 10 and under ride free.
Hours. About every 30 minutes from 06:12 to 22:50, every day.
Driver meets you in the Terminal A arrivals hall with a name board→Any address in Abu Dhabi
Non-stop24-hour servicePer vehiclePre-book
€35total for 1 adult€35 each · about AED 144 in allBook transferPartner link · through Welcome Pickups
Pickup, hours & luggage
Boards at. Driver meets you in the Terminal A arrivals hall with a name board
Charged in euros: €35 for the sedan, €45 for the minivan. Converted at the Central Bank of the UAE's exchange rate of 22 October 2026 only to compare it with the local fares; your card's rate will differ a little.
AED 5total for 1 adultAED 5 eachBuy ticketOn Abu Dhabi Mobility
Pickup, hours & luggage
Boards at. Terminal A bus stop, just outside arrivals
Charged by distance on a Hafilat card: AED 2 to board plus 5 fils a kilometre, never more than AED 5; to the city it is usually about AED 4. No cash on board; children aged 10 and under ride free.
Hours. Every 15 minutes from 23:20 to 05:50, every night. By day bus A1 runs to the same bus station.
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How do I get from Abu Dhabi airport to Abu Dhabi city center?
For one traveler we recommend the Bus A1 to Al Zahiyah at AED 5, 46–52 min, which is also the cheapest way in; the fastest is the Welcome Pickups transfer to Abu Dhabi at €35, 30 min. Every option below is priced as a total for your party and says where it leaves you.
A few things for the rest of your trip
Partner offers
Not transport options · Affiliate links
Car hire at Abu Dhabi airportDiscover Cars
Hire a car for Al Ain, the Liwa oasis or a day in Dubai at your own hours. You are staying downtown: the A1 bus reaches Al Zahiyah for at most AED 5 on a Hafilat card, and Welcome Pickups' car is a fixed €35. Discover Cars shows the full price before you book.
A flight three or more hours late, or cancelled at short notice, can be owed up to €600 a passenger under EU and UK rules, depending on the flight. AirHelp charges only if the claim succeeds.
These links pay us a commission. They never change which transfer we rank first.
Arriving late?
Not everything runs around the clock, but between them they cover it: the Bus A1 to Al Zahiyah runs 06:05–23:05, and the Night bus N2 to Al Zahiyah runs 23:20–05:50, and the Bus A2 to Khalifa Street and the Corniche runs 06:12–22:50. Set the hour you leave arrivals and the board keeps only what is running.
Going somewhere specific?
"The center" is not one place, and the answer changes
City buses leave from the stops just outside the Arrivals area of Terminal A. A1 runs to Al Zahiyah by day and N2 by night; A2 runs past the main bus station to Khalifa Street.
Tickets
No cash on the bus: tap a Hafilat card on the reader when you board and again when you get off. The card costs AED 10 at the ticket machines and at the Abu Dhabi Mobility customer office at the airport.
The taxi rank
Airport taxis run on the meter, day and night: AED 20 to start, then AED 1.82 a kilometre and 50 fils a minute waiting. A taxi booked by phone or app adds AED 4 by day and AED 5 from 22:00 to 06:00.
Uber and Bolt
Careem, Uber and Yango pick up at a designated zone: follow the app's instructions to it, and do not accept offers from people inside the terminal.
Before you travel
Where each one starts, how long it runs, what it carries
A1 · Abu Dhabi MobilityBus A1 to Al Zahiyah
From
Terminal A bus stop, just outside arrivals
To
Al Zahiyah bus station, in the old Tourist Club Area downtown
Runs
06:05–23:05
Journey
46–52 min
Charged by distance on a Hafilat card: AED 2 to board plus 5 fils a kilometre, never more than AED 5; to the city it is usually about AED 4. No cash on board; children aged 10 and under ride free.
Tap your Hafilat card again when you get off: the fare is worked out by the distance ridden.
It calls at Etihad Airways' head office in Khalifa City, then runs in along Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Street.
Every 30 minutes from 06:05 to 23:05, every day. From 23:20 to 05:50 night bus N2 runs to the same bus station.
Al Zahiyah bus station, in the old Tourist Club Area downtown
Runs
23:20–05:50
Journey
54–55 min
Charged by distance on a Hafilat card: AED 2 to board plus 5 fils a kilometre, never more than AED 5; to the city it is usually about AED 4. No cash on board; children aged 10 and under ride free.
It runs along Sultan Bin Zayed Street past Abu Dhabi Bus Station, then through Al Danah to Al Zahiyah.
Every 15 minutes from 23:20 to 05:50, every night. By day bus A1 runs to the same bus station.
A2 · Abu Dhabi MobilityBus A2 to Khalifa Street and the Corniche
From
Terminal A bus stop, just outside arrivals
To
Khalifa Street by the Sofitel, near the Corniche in Al Danah
Runs
06:12–22:50
Journey
47–53 min
Charged by distance on a Hafilat card: AED 2 to board plus 5 fils a kilometre, never more than AED 5; to the city it is usually about AED 4. No cash on board; children aged 10 and under ride free.
It ends on Khalifa Street in Al Danah, west of Al Zahiyah, after calling at Abu Dhabi Bus Station.
About every 30 minutes from 06:12 to 22:50, every day.
transfer · Welcome PickupsWelcome Pickups transfer to Abu Dhabi
From
Driver meets you in the Terminal A arrivals hall with a name board
To
Any address in Abu Dhabi
Runs
All night
Journey
30 min
Charged in euros: €35 for the sedan, €45 for the minivan. Converted at the Central Bank of the UAE's exchange rate of 22 October 2026 only to compare it with the local fares; your card's rate will differ a little.
The price is fixed and paid when you book, the same by day and at night.
What is the best way from Abu Dhabi airport to Abu Dhabi city center?
For one traveler, the Bus A1 to Al Zahiyah at AED 5, 46–52 min. The cheapest way in. The Welcome Pickups transfer to Abu Dhabi is 18 minutes quicker for AED 139 more, which is not worth it at this party size. From 8 travelers we recommend the Welcome Pickups transfer to Abu Dhabi instead: 18 minutes quicker than the Bus A1 to Al Zahiyah, for AED 145 more for 8. How we weigh price against time is set out on the fares page, in numbers.
What is the cheapest way from Abu Dhabi airport to Abu Dhabi city center?
For one traveler, the Bus A1 to Al Zahiyah at AED 5. Per-person fares multiply with the size of your party and per-vehicle fares do not, so check the total for your group rather than the single fare.
How do I get from Abu Dhabi airport to Abu Dhabi city center by bus?
For one traveler the cheapest bus is the Bus A1 to Al Zahiyah at AED 5, 46–52 min, and it is also the fastest. For one traveler that is the cheapest way into Abu Dhabi by any means. The fastest way overall is the Welcome Pickups transfer to Abu Dhabi, 30 min. See every option by bus
How do I get from Abu Dhabi airport to Abu Dhabi city center by taxi?
One taxi reaches Downtown Abu Dhabi and Al Zahiyah: the Welcome Pickups transfer to Abu Dhabi, €35 for one traveler, 30 min, to any address in Abu Dhabi. It is not the cheapest way in: the Bus A1 to Al Zahiyah at AED 5 is. See every option by taxi
How long does it take to get from Abu Dhabi airport to Abu Dhabi city center?
Bus A1 to Al Zahiyah: 46–52 min. Bus A2 to Khalifa Street and the Corniche: 47–53 min. Welcome Pickups transfer to Abu Dhabi: 30 min. Night bus N2 to Al Zahiyah: 54–55 min
How far is Abu Dhabi airport from the city center?
Abu Dhabi Airport does not publish a distance to the city. By time: the fastest way in, the Welcome Pickups transfer to Abu Dhabi, takes 30 min; the cheapest, the Bus A1 to Al Zahiyah, 46–52 min.
Is there Uber or Bolt at Abu Dhabi airport?
Careem, Uber and Yango pick up at a designated zone: follow the app's instructions to it, and do not accept offers from people inside the terminal.
Where do I catch the Bus A1 to Al Zahiyah at Abu Dhabi airport?
Terminal A bus stop, just outside arrivals. Follow the signs from arrivals. It leaves you at Al Zahiyah bus station, in the old Tourist Club Area downtown.
Is there a train from Abu Dhabi airport to Abu Dhabi at night?
The Bus A1 to Al Zahiyah runs 06:05–23:05. The Night bus N2 to Al Zahiyah runs 23:20–05:50. The Bus A2 to Khalifa Street and the Corniche runs 06:12–22:50. Outside those hours the Welcome Pickups transfer to Abu Dhabi is what remains; it is €35 for the vehicle. Every 30 minutes from 06:05 to 23:05, every day. From 23:20 to 05:50 night bus N2 runs to the same bus station.
Worth knowing
Downtown is about 50 minutes away by bus. A1 runs to Al Zahiyah bus station every 30 minutes from 06:05 to 23:05, and night bus N2 takes over every 15 minutes until 05:50.
Buses take no cash: tap a Hafilat card when you board and when you get off. The card costs AED 10; the fare is AED 2 plus 5 fils a kilometre, at most AED 5, and usually about AED 4 to the city.
Official airport taxis run on the meter around the clock: AED 20 to start, then AED 1.82 a kilometre and 50 fils a minute waiting. No fixed fare to the city is published.
The airport's own Airport Express coach leaves for Ibn Battuta bus station in Dubai every hour on the hour, day and night, in about 1 hour 30 minutes. Buy the ticket at its counter in the arrivals hall; the fare is not published.
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