executive saloon
Executive Sedan
From AED 950 per dayThe boardroom on wheels: quiet, composed and always on time.
- 4 seats
- 3 bags
- Driver incl.
Business travel guide
Same-day Abu Dhabi business trip.
Leave Dubai at seven, be at your first meeting in Abu Dhabi at nine, and still be home for dinner. It works, if you build in the right buffers and have someone else deal with the road. Here is how a good same-day plan looks.
Is a same-day trip realistic?
Yes, for one or two meetings. Abu Dhabi city is roughly 140 to 150 km from central Dubai, and the main road, Sheikh Zayed Road (E11), is fast and well kept. In calm traffic the drive takes about an hour and a half. Add time at either end for the Dubai morning rush and for Abu Dhabi’s city centre and you are closer to two hours.
Three meetings across the city is a stretch. Two, with a gap for lunch, is comfortable. If the schedule needs more, sleep over.
Planning this trip? Tell us the date and group size for a fixed price.
Get a quoteA timeline that works
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 06:45 | Driver at your door in Dubai, chilled water and phone chargers in the car |
| 07:00 | Depart, ahead of the heaviest commuter traffic |
| 08:45 | Arrive in Abu Dhabi with 30 minutes in hand |
| 09:30 to 11:30 | First meeting. Driver waits close to the venue |
| 12:00 to 13:30 | Lunch and a second meeting nearby |
| 15:30 | Leave Abu Dhabi, before the evening exodus |
| 17:30 | Back in Dubai |
The common mistake is leaving Abu Dhabi at 17:30 and expecting to be home at seven. The road is busy in both directions in the evening, and a trip that took 90 minutes in the morning can take well over two hours in the late afternoon. If a late meeting is unavoidable, accept a late arrival and plan the evening accordingly.
Why a driver rather than a rental car
The driving itself is easy. The cost of driving yourself is that those three hours are not working hours. With a driver you answer emails, read the file and take a call on the way, which is where the time saving in a same-day trip actually comes from.
There is a practical side as well. Abu Dhabi has its own parking rules and the Darb toll system, and many meeting venues have limited visitor parking. A driver drops you at the entrance and sorts out the rest. Our guide on renting a car or hiring a driver goes through that choice in full.
On tolls: the Salik gates on the Dubai side and Darb in Abu Dhabi are listed on the quote, so you do not find them on a card statement afterwards. Details are in our toll guide.
Choosing the car
For one or two people the executive sedan is right. For a team of three or four who want to work on the way, the V-Class has captain’s chairs that face a little more naturally for a conversation, and the luxury SUV sits between the two. If you are bringing guests or a presentation kit, ask us about space.
The starting prices in the table below are for a full day of up to 10 hours within Dubai. A day that includes Abu Dhabi is a trip to another emirate, so the written quote may differ. Send the form with your mobile number, the pick-up address and the meeting addresses, and we confirm.
What to tell the driver before you leave
- The exact address and floor of each meeting. Abu Dhabi has several venues with similar names.
- Whether you want the driver at the door or in the car park. Some buildings have a short waiting zone and some do not.
- Your hard stop. If you must be back in Dubai by a set time, tell the driver at 07:00, not at 15:00.
- Any call you need quiet for. The driver will keep the cabin calm.
A good driver reads the traffic ahead of the app, and will tell you when to leave a meeting if the road looks heavy. Take that advice.
When it is better to stay over
If you have an evening event in Abu Dhabi, three or more meetings, or an early start in Dubai the next day, a night in Abu Dhabi and a driver for the return trip is more sensible. For flights, our Dubai to Abu Dhabi airport transfer page covers timing. For general intercity journeys see Abu Dhabi transfers, and for a comparison with other options read the taxi cost guide.
Booking a corporate day
If you make trips like this regularly, a corporate account gives one invoice a month and the same drivers where possible. For a single trip, use the booking page.
Keep reading
- Dubai to Abu Dhabi Airport (AUH): From any Dubai address to Zayed International, timed back from your flight and quoted in writing.
- Dubai to Abu Dhabi taxi cost: Metered taxi, Uber or Careem, the intercity bus or a private car: what each costs and when it makes sense.
- School trip bus cost: What a field trip bus costs a Dubai school, what pushes the price up, and how to turn it into a cost per pupil for the parents’ letter.
- Car with driver for a day: One car, one chauffeur, from breakfast to dinner, with the day planned around you rather than a meter.
- Salik and Darb tolls explained: How Dubai’s Salik gates and Abu Dhabi’s Darb tolls work, and why you never see them with a chauffeur.
- 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.
Vehicles
Recommended vehicles.
Quiet cabins for work on the road.
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.
Frequently asked.
Quick answers for this trip.
Can I do Dubai to Abu Dhabi and back in one day?
Yes, for one or two meetings. Allow around 90 minutes to two hours each way, and plan to leave Abu Dhabi before the late-afternoon traffic.
How long does the drive from Dubai to Abu Dhabi take?
About an hour and a half in light traffic. Rush hours at either end can push it to two hours or more.
Will the driver wait while I am in meetings?
Yes. Waiting time is part of a day hire up to the hours on your quote, and the driver stays close to the venue.
Can I work in the car?
Yes. The cabin is quiet and has phone chargers. Tell the driver if you want silence for a call, and ask us about seat layout when you book.
Are tolls included?
Tolls are listed on your quote so you see them before you confirm. Salik applies on the Dubai side and Darb in Abu Dhabi.
What if my meeting runs late?
Tell the driver. The quote includes a waiting allowance, and extra hours are charged at the rate shown on it.
Can I be dropped at Abu Dhabi airport at the end of the day?
Yes. Give us the flight time and we plan the last leg so you reach the terminal in good time. See the airport transfer page for timings.
Is a sedan or a V-Class better for a team of three?
The V-Class gives more space for laptops and bags and a better cabin for conversation. A sedan is fine for one or two people.
Plan the day. We’ll handle the road.
Two questions now, a fixed price in your inbox shortly after.