Taxi in Abu Dhabi taxi is the most popular mean of public transport.
The public taxis in Abu Dhabi are managed by TransAD (Center for Regulation of Transport by Hire Cars) and can be recognized by their yellow light on the roof and the silver color.
Taxis can be called on the street, they can be easily found near hotels and shopping centers or you can book them:
- by calling the call center on 600 53 53 53
- by the app Abu Dhabi Taxi, developed by Abu Dhabi Integrated Transport Centre, that allows you to book a taxi in English or in Arabic, in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain regions from your current location.
At the end of May 2020, the app Abu Dhabi Taxi has been updated with a new function “contactless”, to reduce the interactions. Passengers can now pay for their trips using their credit or debit cards by scanning QR code from the taxi meter.
There is also the option to add the payment card for future payments.
The application Abu Dhabi Taxi can be downloaded from:
Abu Dhabi Taxi fares
From 6 am to 10 pm, the flagfall, or the basic rate, is 4 AED.
The nightly flagfall is 5 AED.
To the basic rate, must be added the cost per kilometer that is 1.80 AED each km, 50 fils per minute when the car is not moving.
Your reservation by call center has an additional cost of 4 AED, during the day.
From 10 pm to 6 am, the reservation costs 5 AED.
The minimum fare per trip is 12 AED.
On the official website of TransAD, you can see the summary table of Abu Dhabi taxi fares, in the FAQs section.
How taxis in Abu Dhabi work
If you book a taxi in Abu Dhabi via call center by mobile phone, the booking is confirmed by sending a text message, in Arabic and in English, the mobile phone from which the call was made or given as a reference.
The text message reports: the number of the taxi, the taxi driver contact and an estimate period of waiting.
The public taxis are provided with taximeter, or better, with a system of a mobile system data unit which calculates the fares and monitors the speed limits of the taxi.
Taxis in Abu Dhabi are equipped with air conditioning and taxi drivers are usually extremely helpful in adjusting the air to your requests.
In April 2020, as measures to limit the pandemic, Abu Dhabi Integrated Transport Centre, the authority managing public transportation in Abu Dhabi, has started installing plastic isolators in its taxi fleet that separate drivers from passengers. In addition, no more than two passengers are allowed the back seat of the taxi and the taxi driver must wear the mask.
If you happen to lose something in the taxi, you can contact the call center of TransAD, on:
600 53 53 53, they will be happy to assist you.
Inside the taxi, you have to fasten your seat belt, it is not allowed to smoke, to eat nor to drink. Of course it is forbidden to force the driver to stop where it is not permitted or where it is dangerous.
Most taxi drivers know a little English, and sometimes they speak a good English as well, but do not assume that they always know Abu Dhabi. To get your destination, in many cases, be prompt to be collaborative.
Asking for and giving directions in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi Streets Names
Upon request, there are also pink taxis, exclusively for women, led by taxi drivers women. They can be recognized by the pink sign and can be booked by calling the call center.
On the “pink taxis” men are not allowed, even if they are traveling with a woman. Boys are allowed under the age of ten years.
You can also use Uber and Careem whose free apps on Google Play and Apple Store.
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