My Local Transport Experience in the Middle East
One of my Private Transport vehicle - Mercedes-Benz Vito
Travelling in UAE via private transport was not as straightforward as it seems, and the cost can mount up pretty quickly. Here are the details on my experience travelling from Dubai Airport to Al Maha Dubai and then to Abu Dhabi.
My Sixt Experience in the Middle East
Andaz Capital Gate Abu Dhabi - King Bed Deluxe Room
Abu Dhabi Highlights
Etihad Business Lounge AUH
AUH-MCT Etihad Regional Business Class
Oman Air First Class Lounge
MCT-BKK Oman Air First Class
Gate43 Airport Hotel - Deluxe Twin Lake View
Thai Airways Royal Orchid Lounge BKK
BKK-SIN Thai Airways Business Class
Note: You could also choose to take public transport (e.g. bus or metro), but for the purpose of this article, I only chose to use taxis or private transport to minimize inconvenience on this relatively short trip.
Dubai Airport > Al Maha Dubai
Travelling from Dubai Airport to Al Maha Dubai is quite time-consuming, taking about an hour including the journey from the resort entrance to the lobby. I had the option to use the local taxi transport app Careem (which I later discovered was slightly cheaper). However, since it was my first time at Dubai, I decided to pre-book the private transport beforehand.
I considered 2 options: using Sixt and the hotel private transport. Despite both being quite expensive, I opted for the slightly cheaper option, Sixt (S$95 or USD68). Additionally, I took advantage of a Platinum status match through my Hilton Gold status, which provided a one-level upgrade to a larger and more comfortable car, along with personalized arrival pick-up. This made the high cost more worthwhile.
Sixt actually does status matches with a range of hotels and airline partners, you can request through the website if you have status with certain airlines or hotels. A noteworthy partner is GHA Discovery, in which GHA Titanium members will also be matched through Sixt Platinum status!
Overall, I strongly recommend utilizing Sixt, especially if you hold considerable status with Hilton. Alternatively, you may opt for Careem, but make sure to set up and familiarize yourself with the app beforehand (more for visitors familiar with Dubai).
I didn't explore other alternatives such as Uber, airportstaxitransfers.com, and Blacklane because they were too pricey. Additionally, I wasn't familiar with the user experience of the latter two options.
Al Maha Dubai > Andaz Abu Dhabi
Before this trip, I considered some options from travelling between Dubai and Abu Dhabi:
Flight
Private transport
The flight costs were slightly more expensive, and the timings weren't ideal for my plans ((I hoped to explore Louvre Abu Dhabi on the same day, which turned out to be unfeasible as you'll soon learn).
In the end, I went with Sixt again (a whopping S$242 or USD172), which amazingly was still cheaper than the hotel-arranged private transport. That I did not expect before planning for the trip! I would have allocated an extra day in Dubai to book a flight to Abu Dhabi instead. Keep this in mind when planning your travel between the two cities.
The journey stretched to nearly 3 hours due to a traffic jam, and I arrived at the hotel around 6pm. Given that most attractions in Abu Dhabi close quite early, I decided it wasn't worth rushing to visit the Louvre Abu Dhabi (galleries and exhibitions close at 6.30pm during weekdays). Ok I guessed partly was due to laziness on my part too 😝
Within Abu Dhabi
I installed and configured my Careem app while staying at Andaz Abu Dhabi. It operates similarly to Grab, offering generally more wallet-friendly fares. There is also an option of hailing a local taxi (Hala) on the app, in which it charges by meter. Uber is also workable, but I found Careem prices to be much cheaper. I recommend downloading and setting up Careem when navigating between attractions in the UAE!
Conclusion
In addition to arranging accommodation and flight tickets, it's essential to carefully consider transportation options before traveling within the UAE. Conduct thorough research and plan your itinerary accordingly to ensure a smoother experience! While my planning wasn't flawless, it still went reasonably well. However, with better preparation, it could have been much better!
