Getting+Around+in+Dubai

You will be unable to officially purchase a car until you have your residency visa, although it is possible to make financial arrangements prior to that. If you intend to drive in Dubai, bring a valid license from your home country and an International Driver’s License. //I have used a Canadian license without an International Driver’s License to both rent a car and to drive the rental until my Dubai license was completed. //
 * Driving in Dubai **

You will be provided with most of the documentation you require once you arrive so you can proceed with obtaining a Dubai license once you have your residency visa. You will be unable to own a car until you have a Dubai Driver’s License. Before your residency comes through you should be able to use an international driver’s license to rent  a car. You must obtain a Salik pass to travel on the toll roads. (It is like an Easy Pass in the US) You can apply and recharge it at the gas station. //Hertz ////‐ //// ph: ////04 282 4422 ////– least expensive car rental with a GEMS/teacher discount; ////offers GEMS // //<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">employees 25% discount, // //<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">United – 04 347 5666 // //<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Thrifty ////<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Cambria Math','serif';">‐ ////<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> Yaris for 6 months presently 1600AED per month for a 2008/09 model, 1800 if your credit card // //<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">doesn’t cover the insurance. // //<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Holiday Auto : 043415730. We hired our car through them. At the time (last year) it seemed like the // //<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">cheapest deal around. // //<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Diamond Lease – 04 343 4330 // //<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">If you are renting just for a short time there are several very close to DAA so that you can walk to pick up the car and drop it off. (A new one two blocks south and east of Al Adiyat and another a block or so south of the Kempinski Hotel. // <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Usually readily available at the malls. For those living near DAA can generally walk out to the road <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">and catch one easily. Drivers don’t always know where places are so know some landmarks <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">near where you want to go (MOE, name of a big hotel, etc.). //<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Don’t bother learning the route numbers (311 etc.) because the taxi drivers don’t know those. // //<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Learning the area name is much more useful (Al Barsha, the Greens). // //<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Excellent Taxi service (airport ect.) Shabib Taxi ////<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Cambria Math','serif';">‐ ////<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">050 ////<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Cambria Math','serif';">‐ ////<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">252 ////<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Cambria Math','serif';">‐ ////<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">3318 // //<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Dubai Taxi 4208 0808 // <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">The Metro train and bus service connects various parts of Dubai. The Mall of the Emirates station is a 15 minute stroll from the school. Tickets and rechargeable cards are purchased at the Metro stations and at many of the bus stops. The RTA website provides information on bus and metro transportation: <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">[] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> and provides maps of Dubai. //<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">The Metro is clean, comfortable, and inexpensive. Consider getting the Gold card as that section is less crowed and seating is often available. //
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Car rental **
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Taxis **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Metro and Busses **