According to best-medical-schools, Dubai has a fairly busy schedule of flights from Moscow and St. Petersburg – the status of the most important business and tourist destination in the Middle East obliges. Emirates, the main carrier of the United Arab Emirates, Russian airlines Aeroflot, Rossiya and Ural Airlines, as well as low-cost carriers Pobeda and Fly Dubai fly from the Russian capital to the city.
Districts of Dubai
Back in 2000, it was customary to divide Dubai into 2 large areas – the old Deira and the growing Bur Dubai, and the Dubai Creek sea arm was the natural border between them. A couple of years later, a construction boom began in the city, real estate was allowed to be sold to foreigners with certain conditions, and these very conditions caused the birth of new districts, of which there are already more than 200 today.
True, some of them do not occupy even a tenth of a square kilometer, and it is not at all necessary for a tourist to understand many dozens of areas with intricate and so similar names. It is worth remembering only a few main parts of the city: historical Deira with authentic markets and relatively affordable housing, prestigious and business Downtown Dubai, Dubai Marina with its super skyscrapers, promenades and embankments, beach and shopping Jumeirah and its man-made islands, Bur Dubai with preserved old buildings, Al Barsha with the famous Mall of the Emirates. Read more on the Dubai Districts page.
Dubai Hotels
Having read about trendy and ultra-expensive hotels in Dubai, some travelers give up before going to the emirate, worrying about too high accommodation prices. Yes, indeed, Dubai is sometimes famous for its overly pretentious pomposity and luxury, the simplest room (if this definition can be used at all in relation to a 7-star hotel) in one of the most photographed buildings in the world – Burj Al Arab – will cost 5355 AED, but this is not the limit. The reverse side of the coin is the not unfounded “horror stories” about terrible rooms in cheap hotels, where the window rests against the wall of the neighboring house, and you can’t turn around in the room.
But there is always a compromise, the main thing is not to lose heart and carefully study all the proposals. For example, rooms in three-star hotels with a lot of good reviews are offered for 150-250 AED. For 220-300 AED, you can pick up great options with proud 4 *, and 5 “stars” start from the not so sky-high 300-500 AED. You can look for more budget options in Sharjah, if you are ready to dangle between the two cities every day, since the distances are not so critical.
Transportation
An extensive road network and the availability of economical public transport ensure free movement around the city.
Taxis
Taxi is the most common means of transport in Dubai. There are over 7,000 state-regulated taxis in the city. The minimum fare for a trip around the city is 15-20 AED. When traveling from the airport to anywhere in the emirate, the landing fee is from 20-25 AED. If you are heading to the Northern Emirates of Sharjah, Umm Al Quwain and Ajman, the surcharge will be another 20 AED. The prices on the page are for September 2022.
At the initiative of the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority, the Dubai Taxi Company introduced women’s taxis (Ladies taxi) with female drivers. Such taxis are easily recognizable by the pink color of the roof, seats and interior. This is a great option for women traveling alone.
Dubai metro
Opened in 2009, the Dubai Metro covers the entire city. The metro is designed to greatly facilitate traffic, it also contributes to the growth of the economy and tourism in Dubai. To increase the number of passengers using public transport on a daily basis, buses were launched to the subway stations.
In addition to the metro, the country has the Palm Jumeirah Monorail (the only one in the Middle East) that connects the Palm Jumeirah island with mainland Dubai.
water buses
The water bus is a new way to travel between Bur Dubai and Deira. From the Shindaga station, tourists can begin a 45-minute journey around Dubai Creek, ending at the Al-Sif station. In addition to the tourist route, water buses offer transport services, operating 5 routes around the bay. Panoramic views can be enjoyed in comfort as the water buses are air-conditioned, equipped with spacious seats and wheelchair accessible. Each station has a kiosk selling snacks, newspapers and magazines, and prepaid fare cards.
In addition, the Deira and Bar Dubai areas are still connected by a traditional mode of transport: Arab abra boats.
Water taxis
Since May 2010, new water taxis have been operating in Dubai Creek, stopping at the piers of abra boats and water buses. In addition, a taxi can be ordered by phone, after specifying the place of waiting and landing. The air-conditioned water taxi has 11 seats, including 2 seats for people with disabilities, the seats are equipped with built-in LCD monitors with remote control.
Tourist buses
For an overview of the city, it is worth using the services of sightseeing buses. Several similar companies operate in Dubai, including Big Bus Dubai (website) and the world famous City Sightseeing (website). The first floor of buses is closed and air-conditioned, the second floor is traditionally open to all winds and the sun.
A one-day ticket for an adult at City Sightseeing costs about 240 AED, for children and teenagers 5-15 years old – 163 AED. It makes sense to take tickets for 2 days, the price will increase slightly – up to 280 AED and 200 AED, and the time for inspection, stops and photography will be seriously added, and there will be more bonuses. The standard ticket price includes unlimited travel on the Modern, Historic, and Marine routes, as well as nice extras like a free night tour, museum passes, free guided walking tours, and abra rides. A two-day ticket, in addition to everything else, gives free admission to the Underwater Zoo and Aquarium and a transfer to Sharjah with a bus tour of this emirate.
Evening and night tours around the city deserve special attention. In the dark, Dubai blooms with many thousands of lights, and skyscrapers turn into the scenery of some fascinating science fiction film. In addition, after sunset on the top floor of the bus is not hot at all, which is important.
The prices of the operators are approximately the same, but the routes and included bonuses are slightly different.
Rent a Car
There are several reasons to rent a car in Dubai: ride the highways of a chic city in a supercar, save time and money on excursions and trips to attractions, go to the other end of the country and swim in the Gulf of Oman or drive along the sand dunes. Based on the desires, choose a car. There are plenty of rental offices on the market, you can use the services of international aggregators such as Rentalcars, Cars-scanner, Eavtoprokat, Autoeurope, or ask about the conditions of local players. When renting a car, rent a GPS navigator, this will save you a lot of time.
Mini and economy start from 120 AED per day, medium-sized and class cars cost about 140-300 AED, family cars – from 540 AED, SUVs – 160-1000 AED, for convertibles and sports cars they will ask from 1000 AED to 10,000 AED, here It all depends on ambition and wallet.
Dubai’s ideal roads can dull the sense of speed, but it’s best not to encounter traffic violations – fines will seriously overshadow the trip. Don’t forget to buckle up and demand it from your passengers, the fee for ignoring this requirement is 400 AED. Things are not bad with parking: look for free places at numerous shopping and entertainment centers, paid parking lots are equipped with parking meters and clear rules for their use, often a hotel provides a place for a car. But for a car left in the wrong place, right, a big fine.
