Chauffeur etiquette and tipping.

What a good chauffeur does without being asked

The driver is at the pick-up point ten minutes early, with the engine running and the cabin cool. He or she gets out, opens the door, loads the luggage and checks you are comfortable before pulling away. On the road the driver keeps the speed smooth, stays off the phone and does not talk unless you do.

Water and phone chargers are in the car. If something is missing, say so; it is easier to fix at once than to endure for an hour.

A good driver also knows the route better than the app. If the road ahead is heavy, the driver suggests another way and tells you the new time. That is part of the job, not an extra.

What you can do to make the day smoother

• Be ready at the time on the booking. A chauffeur will wait, but a late start can push every later stop.
• Give the driver the next destination by name before you leave the last one, not as you are getting into the car.
• Say early if you want a stop. Fuel, a quick coffee or a prayer break are all easy to plan, and awkward at a junction.
• Tell the driver if the temperature is wrong. The air conditioning in Dubai is strong, and nobody minds being asked to turn it down.
• Keep food and drink out of the cabin unless you have asked. The seats are leather.

Quiet or conversation: your call

Most drivers read the passenger. A business guest on the phone gets silence. A family on holiday may get a few tips about the next stop. If you prefer silence, say so politely at the start and it will be respected without offence.

Do not expect the driver to be a tour guide. Drivers know the city, but they are focused on the road. If you want a guided city day, our city tour by private minibus page explains how to build one.

Dress, behaviour and respect

Dubai is relaxed about clothing in a private car, but you will be stepping out at hotels, mosques and offices. If your day includes a mosque, bring a scarf or cover-ups. The driver can tell you what is expected, and our Grand Mosque day trip page says more.

Treat the driver as you would any professional. Drivers work long days, often with early starts and late finishes. A thank-you and a clear plan go further than any gesture.

During Ramadan, avoid eating or drinking in view of others in public during daylight hours. In a private car it is less of an issue, but be considerate with a driver who is fasting. Ask whether a short break is needed.

Tipping: the straight answer

Tipping is never expected and is not included in our quotes. The price you agree is the price you pay, and the driver is paid for the work regardless of what passengers add.

That said, tips are appreciated, and many passengers give one after a particularly good day or a long wait. There is no fixed amount. Some guests round up a transfer, some add a small amount for a full day, and some give nothing. All three are normal.

If you do tip, give it to the driver directly, in cash, at the end of the trip. For a group, the group leader can collect and hand it over once. Do not worry about asking whether it is “enough”. The gesture is what counts.

In restaurants, a service charge is often already added to the bill, so check before adding more. For hotel staff, a small tip for help with luggage is customary. The same logic applies: optional, and never obligatory.

What to do if something goes wrong

If the driver is late, the car is not as expected or the route is wrong, speak up at once. Message us on WhatsApp or through the contact details in your confirmation and we sort it out while the trip is still running. A problem raised at the time can usually be fixed. One raised a week later can only be apologised for.

For the details of what a booking includes, see the guide to the bus rental quote, and for choosing a service, our chauffeur service and hourly chauffeur pages.

Etiquette for groups and weddings

For a group, the leader speaks to the driver and the group follows. Keep one point of contact, so the driver is not answering seven people with seven ideas. For weddings, the planner or a family member should be that contact; see the wedding car booking guide.

Related: Chauffeur service Dubai · Chauffeur by the Hour · How to book a wedding car · Car with driver for a day · What’s in a bus rental quote · Get a quote

Keep reading

• Chauffeur service Dubai: What a proper chauffeur service in Dubai looks like, from the brief before pick-up to the door at the end of the night.
• DIFC chauffeur service: Gate Village, The Gate and the towers on Sheikh Zayed Road, with a chauffeur on standby between meetings.
• Meeting your driver at DXB: Terminals 1, 2 and 3, the walk to arrivals, and exactly where your chauffeur will be waiting.
• Expo City Dubai chauffeur: Exhibitors, speakers and VIP guests to Expo City Dubai, dropped at the right gate every day of the show.
• Car with driver for a day: One car, one chauffeur, from breakfast to dinner, with the day planned around you rather than a meter.
• Dubai to Hatta: Kayaks at the dam, the Heritage Village and the mountain road, with a chauffeur who waits all day.