executive saloon
Executive Sedan
From AED 950 per dayThe boardroom on wheels: quiet, composed and always on time.
- 4 seats
- 3 bags
- Driver incl.
Guide
Rent a car or hire a driver?
Most visitors to Dubai ask the same question before they land. Self-drive looks cheaper on the booking site. Once you add the extras and the stress, the gap is often smaller than it looks.
Two honest answers to one question
We should say this first: we don’t rent cars without a driver. Every car we offer comes with a professional driver. So we are not neutral, but we will tell you when renting a car yourself is the better choice, because sometimes it is.
Self-drive suits a confident driver who wants to come and go at all hours, explore at random and doesn’t mind finding parking. A car with driver suits anyone who wants to arrive relaxed, has a full schedule, doesn’t want to drive on unfamiliar roads, or simply can’t drive in the UAE on their licence.
Planning this trip? Tell us the date and group size for a fixed price.
Get a quoteThe licence question comes first
Visitors can drive in the UAE on some foreign licences, and others need an International Driving Permit. The rules depend on the country that issued your licence and on your visa status, and they change, so check with the Roads and Transport Authority or your rental company before you travel.
If you can’t drive here legally, the question answers itself. Plenty of visitors find this out at the rental desk, which is not a good moment.
What self-drive really costs
The daily rental price is only the start. When you compare, add these:
- Fuel, which you pay for and return the car full
- Salik tolls in Dubai and Darb in Abu Dhabi, charged to the rental company and then to you, often with an admin fee
- Parking at malls, hotels, beaches and attractions, some of it paid by the hour
- A security deposit, usually held on a credit card and released some days or weeks after you return the car
- Insurance excess, and any traffic or parking fines, which can arrive after you have gone home
None of these is unusual. Together they can add a fair amount to the headline price, and they are easy to forget when you book.
What a car with driver costs
Our cars with driver start from AED 950 per day for an executive sedan, AED 1,100 for a luxury SUV and AED 1,150 for a Mercedes V-Class that seats up to seven. That is a full day of up to 10 hours in Dubai with driver and fuel. Tolls are in the quote, and the driver deals with parking.
For bigger families or groups, a 13-seater van with driver starts from AED 900 per day, which often works out cheaper than renting two cars.
Our full-day car with driver page has the details, and hourly hire covers shorter days.
Side by side
| Question | Self-drive rental | Car with driver |
|---|---|---|
| Licence | Must be valid for the UAE | Not needed |
| Fuel, tolls, parking | On top of the rental | Fuel included; tolls and parking listed on the quote |
| Deposit | Usually held on a card | None |
| Freedom | Any time, any place | Booked hours, plans can change on the day |
| After a long dinner | Someone has to drive | Everyone rides home |
| Trips to Abu Dhabi or Hatta | You drive 3 to 4 hours | You sit back for 3 to 4 hours |
Who should choose which
Rent a car if you are a confident driver, your licence is valid here, you are staying a week or more and you like to explore without a plan. Many residents’ visiting relatives do exactly that.
Hire a driver if you are here for a few days with a packed schedule, travelling with small children or older parents, visiting for business, planning a day out to the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi or Hatta, or you would rather not learn Dubai’s interchanges on holiday.
A common mix: rent a car for the relaxed days, and book a driver for the airport, the long day trip and the night out.
Booking a car with driver
Send the dates, the number of people and the plan for each day through the booking form or on WhatsApp at +971 54 126 1681. We reply with a written quote for each day. For one-off trips, our car with driver page covers single journeys and half days.
Keep reading
- Car with driver Dubai: Every way to book a car and driver in Dubai, by the trip, the hour, the day or the month, with the four car classes and their prices side by side.
- Car with driver for a day: One car, one chauffeur, from breakfast to dinner, with the day planned around you rather than a meter.
- How much is a driver in Dubai?: What a driver costs in Dubai with a car, a van or a bus: our day prices and the per-person sums for groups.
- Can you drive a rented minibus yourself?: Self-drive minibus hire in the UAE: the licence question, the costs that arrive later, and when a driver is the simpler choice.
- Car with driver for a week: A week in Dubai with a car and driver: which days need one, a seven-day itinerary, what each day costs and how to book it.
- Wedding car with driver: A Rolls-Royce for the bride and cars for the family, all timed to your running order.
Vehicles
Recommended vehicles.
Every car comes with a driver. We don’t rent cars without one.
full-size SUV
Luxury SUV
From AED 1,100 per daySix guests, real luggage space, and presence on arrival.
- 6 seats
- 5 bags
- Driver incl.
executive MPV
Mercedes V-Class
From AED 1,150 per dayA business-class cabin for seven, with luggage to spare.
- 7 seats
- 6 bags
- Driver incl.
passenger van
13-Seater Van
From AED 900 per dayPractical, air-conditioned and right-sized for group transfers.
- 13 seats
- 10 bags
- Driver incl.
Frequently asked.
Quick answers for this trip.
Do you rent cars without a driver?
No. Every car we offer comes with a professional driver.
Can tourists drive in Dubai?
Some foreign licences are accepted for visitors and others need an International Driving Permit. The rules depend on your country and visa, so check with the RTA or your rental company first.
Is it cheaper to rent a car or hire a driver in Dubai?
On the headline price, self-drive usually looks cheaper. Once you add fuel, tolls, parking and the deposit, the gap narrows, and for groups a van with driver can cost less than two rental cars.
How much is a car with driver in Dubai per day?
Ours start from AED 1,150 per day for a V-Class, AED 1,100 for a luxury SUV and AED 950 for an executive sedan, for up to 10 hours with driver and fuel.
Who pays Salik tolls?
On a self-drive rental, you do, usually through the rental company. On our cars with driver, tolls are listed on the written quote.
Can the driver wait while we shop or eat?
Yes. The driver stays with the car for the hours booked and picks you up at the door.
Leave the driving to someone who knows the roads.
Two questions now, a fixed price in your inbox shortly after.