Discover Dubai

Currency: United Arab Emirates Dirham (AED or Dhs)

Approximate Exchange Rate: $1 USD ≈ 3.67 AED (officially pegged, very stable)

Daily Budget Expectations:

Budget Traveler (300-500 AED/day or $80-135 USD/day):

• •Budget hotel/hostel: 150-250 AED
• •Local restaurants, shawarma, food courts: 80-120 AED
• •Metro/bus transportation: 20-40 AED
• •Free beaches and souks, limited paid attractions

Mid-Range Traveler (700-1,500 AED/day or $190-410 USD/day):

• •3-4 star hotel or vacation rental: 400-700 AED
• •Mix of restaurants and international dining: 200-400 AED
• •Taxis and metro combination: 80-150 AED
• •Multiple attractions and experiences: 200-400 AED

Luxury Traveler (2,500+ AED/day or $680+ USD/day):

• •5-star hotel or resort: 1,500+ AED
• •Fine dining, celebrity chef restaurants: 500+ AED
• •Private drivers, helicopter tours, exclusive experiences
• •Premium shopping, spa treatments, VIP access

Money Tips:

• •Credit cards widely accepted everywhere, including taxis and souks
• •ATMs abundant with international cards accepted
• •Exchange rates better at exchange houses than hotels
• •Tipping: 10-15% expected in restaurants (often included), tip hotel staff 5-20 AED, taxi drivers round up fare
• •Bargaining expected in traditional souks but not in malls
• •Cash useful for small purchases and taxi tips

Official Language: Arabic

Common Languages: English (extremely widely spoken), Hindi, Urdu, Tagalog, Persian

English Proficiency: Excellent throughout the city. Nearly everyone in tourism, hospitality, retail, and services speaks English. All signs bilingual (Arabic/English).

Essential Arabic Phrases:

• •Hello: Marhaba (mar-ha-ba)
• •Hello (response): Marhaban (mar-ha-ban)
• •Peace be upon you: As-salamu alaykum (as-sa-lam-u-alay-kum)
• •And peace be upon you: Wa alaykumu as-salam (wa-alay-kum-us-sa-lam)
• •Thank you: Shukran (shook-ran)
• •Please: Min fadlak (men fad-lak - male) / Min fadlik (men fad-lik - female)
• •Yes/No: Na'am (na-am) / La (laa)
• •Goodbye: Ma'a salama (ma-a sa-la-ma)
• •Excuse me: Afwan (af-wan)
• •How much?: Bikam? (bee-kam)
• •God willing: Inshallah (in-sha-al-lah)

Communication Tips:

• •English communication very easy; Arabic phrases appreciated but not necessary
• •Translation apps rarely needed but useful for reading Arabic-only signs
• •Restaurant menus almost always have English
• •Hotel and tourism staff exceptionally multilingual
• •Friday is part of weekend; businesses often have different hours

Getting to Dubai:

By Air:

• •Dubai International Airport (DXB): World's busiest international airport, 5km from city center
• •Terminal 1: International airlines
• •Terminal 2: Mainly budget carriers
• •Terminal 3: Exclusively Emirates Airlines (also world's largest terminal)

From DXB to City:

• •Metro Red Line: Connects Terminals 1 & 3 to city (25-30 AED to main areas, 50-60 minutes)
• •RTA Taxi: Metered, 25 AED starting fare from airport, 60-120 AED to most hotels depending on distance
• •Hotel shuttles: Many hotels offer pickup (arrange in advance)
• •Uber/Careem: Similar pricing to taxis, convenient

• •Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC): Secondary airport in Dubai South, mainly cargo but growing passenger service (much farther from city center)

Getting Around Dubai:

Dubai Metro (Best option for tourists):

• •Ultra-modern, driverless, air-conditioned system
• •Red Line: Main tourist line - Airport, Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, Marina, JBR
• •Green Line: Old Dubai - Gold Souk, Spice Souk, Al Fahidi Historical District
• •Operating hours: Saturday-Thursday 5am-midnight (until 1am Thursday), Friday 10am-1am
• •Nol Card: Rechargeable transport card (red card 2 AED, add credit, 3-8.5 AED per journey depending on zones)
• •Day passes: Silver class 20 AED (1 day), 40 AED (7 days), Gold class 40 AED (1 day)
• •Gold Class: Front car, more spacious, double the price
• •Women & Children car: Pink signs indicate women/children-only section (front car)
• •Apps: RTA Dubai app or Google Maps for route planning

Key Metro Stations:

• •Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Station: Red Line
• •Mall of the Emirates Station: Red Line
• •Dubai Marina Station: Red Line
• •JBR/Jumeirah Beach Residence: Tram connection from DMCC Metro
• •Al Fahidi Station (for Gold/Spice Souks): Green Line
• •Deira Old Souk Station: Green Line

Dubai Tram:

• •Connects Dubai Marina, JBR, and Media City
• •3 AED flat fare, Nol card compatible
• •Integrated with Metro Red Line

RTA Bus:

• •Extensive network covering entire city
• •Flat fare 3-7 AED depending on route
• •Nol card compatible
• •Less convenient than metro but reaches all areas

Taxis:

• •Metered, clean, safe, and abundant
• •Cream-colored RTA taxis official
• •Flagfall: 12 AED (day), 25 AED (airport)
• •~1.96 AED per kilometer
• •Minimum fare: 12 AED
• •Uber and Careem (regional equivalent) widely available, similar pricing
• •Book through apps or hail on street
• •Drivers generally honest; insist on meter if issues

Dubai Ferry & Water Taxi:

• •Traditional abra boats: 1 AED per person across Dubai Creek
• •Dubai Ferry: Scenic routes along coastline, 50-75 AED
• •Water taxi: 100 AED+ for private crossings

Car Rental:

• •Not recommended for first-time visitors
• •Aggressive driving, complex interchanges
• •Expensive parking, especially at malls and attractions
• •Useful for exploring outside Dubai or multiple emirates

Walking:

• •Challenging due to heat, especially summer
• •Districts walkable individually (Marina Walk, JBR, Dubai Mall area)
• •Limited pedestrian infrastructure between districts
• •Always carry water and use underpasses/bridges

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