city guides: dubai

Dubai International Airport (switchboard 971 4 224 5555, flight information 971 4 216 6666, www.dubaiairport.com), one of the most highly acclaimed airports in the world, is currently undergoing an elaborate and extravagant expansion program that includes a new terminal (the airport’s third) exclusively for Emirates Airline flights.

Almost all major airlines arrive at the main Sheikh Rashid Terminal 1. Here the Dubai Duty Free (971 4 224 5004) is the last port of call for the purchase of alcohol before entering Dubai’s hotel-only licensing restrictions. The airport’s facilities include shops, Internet and banking services, restaurants, business facilities and a tourist information booth. The smaller Terminal 2 caters largely to cargo, charter flights and commercial airlines from Iran and the CIS countries. There is also a VIP terminal known as Al Majlis.

The airport is in Garhoud, about five kilometers southeast of the city center. If you’re staying at one of the big international hotels, chances are you’ll get a complimentary limousine or shuttle bus transfer to and from the airport. Otherwise, taxis are the most convenient and practical form of transport. There is a Dhs20 surcharge on pickup from the terminal (instead of the usual Dhs3 in town). It takes about 10 minutes to get to Bur Dubai, and Jumeirah and the hotel beach resorts are about 30 minutes away.

Getting around

As you’d expect from a city kick-started by oil, the car is king in Dubai. Although buses are cheap and frequent, they are rarely used by Western visitors—and with the proposed 37-station metro monorail not due to open until 2008, visitors tend to either hire cars or hop into one of the omnipresent metered and inexpensive taxicabs. The downside to this autophilia is near constant congestion, particularly at rush hour and on the city’s two bridges, Garhoud and Maktoum. Plans are afoot to introduce a third bridge and a bypass to nearby Sharjah, but until then, patience is of the essence—and if your trip involves cabbing over the Creek, then bring a book and allow yourself plenty of time.

Another hazard is the rather erratic driving habits of the average Dubaian. The UAE has one of the world’s highest death tolls per capita from road accidents, and it’s not hard to see why. Few people adhere to traffic regulations, and speeding, undertaking and tailgating all occur regularly. All cars sold in the UAE let out an audio warning when speeds exceed the 120 km/h (75 mph) speed limit, but this does little to deter the country’s gas-happy drivers: Expect most journeys to have a soundtrack of constant beeping. The government seems to be taking some steps to curb the problem, with regular road-safety awareness campaigns and the installation of speed cameras on most main roads, but with only fines rather than bans as a deterrent, the highways remain Dubai’s biggest danger and annoyance.