The first-timer's guide

Last checked · 21 Sep 2026

Dubai 101

Your first three hours in the city, from people who live here. Land, get connected, get moving, and skip the mistakes every first-timer makes.

Flying in this month?

DXB and DWC are open, but some airlines are still rerouting and schedules can shift at short notice. Check your flight with your airline on the day you travel.

Live flight status →

01 · Land

Pick your airport

Times are off-peak. Add 15–20 min at rush hour.

DXBLocals' pick

Dubai International

To Downtown: 15–25 min
Taxi: AED 50–70
Metro: T1 & T3 only

Hack: Terminal 2 has no metro station. Check your terminal before you land.

DWCThe far one

Al Maktoum, Jebel Ali

To Downtown: 45–60 min
Taxi: AED 150–200
Public transport: F55 bus + metro

Hack: A small terminal, so you're often out in 20 min. Staying in the Marina? It's the closer side.

SHJBudget fares

Sharjah International

Distance: ~28 km
Airlines: Air Arabia & more
Traffic risk: High

Hack: Avoid landing between 5 and 8 PM on a weekday. The Sharjah–Dubai road jams hard.

AUHTwo-city trips

Zayed International, Abu Dhabi

To Dubai: ~105 km
Taxi: AED 250–300
Best if: Seeing both cities

Hack: A cheaper fare can vanish once you add the ride. Do the maths before you book.

02 · Get connected

Sort your SIM before arrivals

What locals do

Set up an eSIM before you fly, and land connected.

No queue, no kiosk. Free Wi-Fi covers malls, cafés and most attractions anyway.

Short stopover

Free tourist SIM

AED 0

10 GB for 24 hours, handed out after immigration. Register and top up after that.

du tourist plans →

Up to 4 weeks

e& Visitor Line

AED 94.28 + VAT

28-day packs you can renew. Ages 18+. du plans are near-identical, so pick the shorter queue.

e& Visitor Line →

One week, app-only

Virgin Mobile

From AED 150

7 days, 21 GB. Scan your passport, take a selfie, online in minutes. Desks at DXB T1 and T2.

Virgin tourist SIM →

Before you fly

Travel eSIM

Often cheapest

Apps like Airalo run on the same du and e& networks. Install at home, switch on when you land.

Airalo →

Bring your original passport. Registration is mandatory.
Buy only from du, e&, Virgin or official resellers.
Test your data before you leave the counter.

03 · Get around

Every way to move, explained

Tap any option for the full guide

The Kenz combo

Metro for the long hauls. A taxi app for the last mile. We use Zed.

Metro

Driverless, air-conditioned and the cheapest way across the city. One Nol card covers it all.

AED 3–7.50 a tripDaily cap AED 14Stations at DXB T1 & T3

How to ride, step by step

1Get a Nol card at the ticket office or vending machine inside the DXB Terminal 1 or 3 metro station. Also sold at every metro station and many supermarkets.
2Pick your card: Silver (AED 25, with AED 19 credit) suits almost everyone. Gold costs the same but charges double for the quieter Gold Class cabin. The paper Red ticket is only worth it for one or two rides.
3Top up from AED 5 at any station machine, or on your phone with the nol Pay app.
4Tap in at the gate, and tap out when you leave. The fare is worked out by the zones you cross.
5Plan routes in S’hail or Google Maps. Register your card online to protect the balance if you lose it.

What it costs

1 zone AED 3 · 2 zones AED 5 · 3+ zones AED 7.50 (Silver)
Gold Class is exactly double
Spend over AED 14 in a day and every other ride is free
DXB T3 to Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall: AED 5, about 25 min
DXB T3 to Dubai Marina: AED 7.50, about 55–60 min

Best for

Airport to Downtown or Sheikh Zayed Road with light bags, and any trip near a station.

Skip it if

You have more than two bags, or you land after the last train.

Local hacks

Switch between metro, bus and tram within 30 minutes and it counts as one trip
Every train has a women-and-children cabin
Gold Class is worth it with luggage or at rush hour; skip it off-peak
Air-conditioned bridges run straight into Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates
The same card works on buses, the tram and water buses

Don’t get fined

No eating or drinking past the gates. Fines start at AED 100.

The first cabin is Gold Class. Sitting there on a Silver card gets you fined.

Max two bags, including hand luggage.

The Palm Monorail is separate and does not take Nol.

Useful linksRTA fares & Nol cards →nol Pay app →Plan a route →

04 · Apps locals use

Download these on the flight

Locals' secretFood · Pickup · Across the UAE

Peekabox

Surprise boxes of fresh, unsold food from cafés, bakeries, grocers and even hotel buffets, at 50–70% off. Reserve in the app and collect the same evening.

Local tip:Grab a PAUL pastry box on your way back to the hotel. Tomorrow's breakfast, sorted.

Heads up: you won't know exactly what's inside until pickup.

Get Peekabox →

~AED 15–30

per box · groceries from ~AED 15

1,000+

stores · Costa, Tim Hortons, PAUL, Carrefour, Eataly

6–11 PM

usual pickup window

Rides

ZedKenz pick

15% cashback on every ride, and no surge on taxis