Taxis in Dubai are a fast, affordable and safe way to get around. There are plenty of cars, the drivers are polite, and prices are lower than in Europe. For tourists this is often the most convenient form of transport, especially with luggage or in the heat. Let us go through the fares, apps and details — this is a supplement to the big guide on Dubai transport.
Official RTA Taxis
Dubai’s city taxis are run by the transport authority RTA. They are easy to recognise by their beige (cream) body and coloured roof. These are licensed, metered cars — safe and predictable in price. You can hail them on the street, at hotels, shopping malls and dedicated taxi ranks.
There are also special categories: a pink roof means a taxi with a female driver (for women and families), and there are larger-capacity and premium-class cars.
Taxi Fares
The cost is made up of the flag-down fare and the distance:
| Item | Approximate cost |
|---|---|
| Flag-down fare (day) | ~12 AED |
| Flag-down fare (evening/night) | higher |
| Per kilometre | ~2 AED |
| Minimum trip | ~12 AED |
| Airport surcharge | ~25 AED |
In practice, a trip around the city centre comes to 20–40 AED, and longer ones — from the Marina to Old Dubai — to 50–80 AED. From the airport to popular areas it is roughly 70–110 AED. In roubles, at a rate of ~25 ₽ per dirham, a short trip costs 500–1,000 ₽.
Apps: Careem and Uber
Two main ride-hailing apps work in Dubai:
- Careem — the No. 1 local service, owned by Uber. Through it you can order both private cars and a regular RTA taxi (the Hala option).
- Uber — works as it does everywhere in the world.
The advantages of the apps: you see the price in advance, you do not need to explain the route in words, you can pay by card right in the app, and you have a trip history. You need the internet to use them — so on your very first day it is worth getting a SIM card or eSIM.
Payment
You can pay in a taxi:
- in cash (dirhams);
- by card — most cars have a terminal;
- through the app Careem/Uber (a linked card).
Remember that Russian bank cards do not work in the UAE — for details see the guide to money and currency in Dubai. Tips are not mandatory, but rounding the amount up is common practice.
Taxi or Metro
A taxi is convenient, but not always the best choice:
- During rush hour (morning and evening on a weekday) the Dubai metro is often faster — the roads are jammed, and on the toll roads Salik is in effect too.
- For long, straight routes along the metro line (airport — centre — Marina) the metro is many times cheaper.
- A taxi wins in the heat, with luggage, late at night, for trips away from the metro lines and as a group (for 3–4 people the price for everyone is comparable).
The best approach is to combine the two: the metro for the main routes, and a taxi for the “last mile” and awkward routes.
A taxi comes to the rescue where the metro does not reach, and it does not cost much: 20–40 AED around the city plus a ~25 AED airport surcharge, with cars hailed on the street or ordered through Careem and Uber at a fixed price. But for long, straight routes during rush hour, do take a closer look at the metro — sometimes it will get you there faster and cheaper.
