Means of transport Dubai

Launched in 1985 on the Karachi route, the Dubai-based airline is now a carrier of excellence serving over 157 destinations. Emirates Airlines carried 43.6 million passengers in 2022, up 123% on 2021. It also allows check-in from hotel or home on request, and operates a dedicated terminal for ^1st and Business class. Emirates has won the Skytrax World Airline Awards for best in-flight entertainment program 15 years running.

Cream with red roof for the normal cabs, cream with pink roof for the Ladies Taxis, they are everywhere, at any time, with a meter. The drivers all speak English. Before boarding, make sure the driver knows your destination, or be prepared to give clear directions otherwise it's not always easy, as they don't have on-board GPS. To make a reservation, you can call or download the Shail DTC Smart App, which also allows you to book and know in advance the price of the trip and the travel time.

It's the futuristic version of the water taxi. Ultra modern and comfortable, they can accommodate up to 10 people and are air-conditioned. A small outdoor deck allows you to be outdoors all the same. They serve more than 44 stations between the Creek and the Canal, then around the Palm and the Marina. The water buses have a capacity of 20 people and allow a panoramic visit of Business Bay, the departure is from Jadaf Station to the mouth of the canal or vice versa and stops at 5 maritime stations. These services are in full expansion.

Launched in 2009, the automatic metro offers 90 km of network. Clean, it runs every 4 minutes during rush hour and every 7 minutes during off-peak hours. 3 comfort categories: Silver (economy), Gold (first class) and Women & Children. The green line is mainly underground and connects the old quarters of Dubai. The red line is mainly aerial and runs along Sheikh Zayed Road from Deira to Jebel Ali. The "Route 2020" extension, 14.5 km long and with 6 additional stations, was created to access the Expo 2020 site.

In many parts of the city, self-service bicycles are becoming increasingly popular. Once you've downloaded the app, a few clicks later you'll be able to get on your electric bike, which does include 3 gears. Helmets are not mandatory, but highly recommended. Be careful, though, as it's hard to get from one neighborhood to another, and the city was designed more for 4-wheelers than for 2. As soon as the heat arrives, pedaling is a lot less fun. All the same, it's a pleasure to discover Dubai in a different way.

The Dubai tramway, inaugurated in 2014, forms a loop that includes 11 stations over 11 km. It is limited to the Marina district as far as Al-Sufouh. It is connected with the metro at two locations: Jumeirah Lake Towers and Damac Properties. The Palm Jumeirah station connects to the monorail that serves the Palm. The tramway offers a Gold class, located at the front while another train is reserved for women and children. Downloading the Shail application is recommended to get your bearings. The tram has wifi.

Scootering in Dubai seems an anachronism, as you'd rather explore the city in a large 4X4 or sports car than on a "scooter"! And yet, several areas are being developed to allow them in the Al Rigga, Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai Internet City, Umm Suqeim, Jumeirah and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid boulevard districts around the Burj Khalifa. If you're over 14 and have a charged cell phone with wi-fi, you can ride on the sidewalks in authorized areas, following the GPS. Helmets are compulsory.

With very high standards, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates was launched in 2003 with an inaugural flight from Al Ain to Beirut. To date, it serves more than 84 destinations in 49 countries and has a fleet of more than 100 aircraft. Etihad Airways, whose name means "union", also wins numerous awards every year for its service. It operates only from Abu Dhabi airport and therefore requires a free shuttle to Dubai. Business class customers have a complimentary chauffeur service.

12 AF flights per week serve Dubai. Day and night flights allow you to reach Dubai, unless you have a stopover in Amsterdam. For those who do not live in Paris, it is an advantage to use the French airline, because the Air France network allows you to connect provincial cities to the capital without the headache of missed connections and without having to collect your luggage during the transfer. The flight time is about 6h30. Another advantage is that the flight from Paris at lunchtime means that you won't arrive in Dubai too late in the evening.

The Swiss airline, which has been operating since 2002, serves over a hundred destinations. It operates several weekly flights to Dubai from Geneva via Zurich in less than 9 hours, as well as from Milan via Zurich. A good option for French-speaking commuters. Flight time is around 6.5 hours for a distance of just over 4,900 kilometers. Swiss is part of the Lufthansa Group and a member of Star Alliance. Over 42 renowned chefs contribute to the menus served on board its aircraft.

Unprecedented stopovers for this top-quality low-cost carrier, which operates in synergy with Emirates. The airline is owned by the Dubai government and operates exclusively from Terminal 2 at the gateway to Sharjah. It serves 110 destinations in 50 countries, mainly in the Middle East and Asia, but is beginning to expand into Africa and Europe, although no French-speaking destinations are involved for the moment. For those who want to extend their trip from Dubai to another destination, Fly Dubai is a smart option without breaking the bank.

The monorail allows you to see the Palm from a great height without breaking the bank or polluting the environment. It runs along the entire trunk, stopping after 5 stations at Atlantis The Palm. You can then get off to take a few souvenir photos and return home. This means of transport is used exclusively (or almost exclusively) by tourists and offers a panoramic view of The Palm. It's also a great way to get to Parc Aquaventure.

Careem is a local company that has been absorbed by Uber, but operates on a separate platform. It is widely used in Dubai, and indeed is the name we use to refer to VTCs. It lets you book chauffeur-driven cars, as well as cabs and 2-wheelers to transport a package. As most cabs don't have GPS, the app makes sure you get where you're going without getting lost. Both companies have a fleet of drivers who are very friendly and keep their cars very clean.

119 routes criss-cross the city, carrying over 350,000 passengers a day. The 1,518 buses are modern, well-equipped and all air-conditioned, like the bus shelters. But they're also slow because of traffic jams. The blue buses are the ones that connect to the metro. It's child's play if you've downloaded the Shail app to find out what time the bus runs, how long the journey takes and where to get off. It's another way of discovering the city and getting a feel for Dubai's cultural diversity.