GETTING THERE
Arriving by plane
The state airline Etihad Airways (EY) (Internet: www.etihad.com) flies non-stop from Munich, Frankfurt, Düsseldorf, Geneva and Zurich to Abu Dhabi.
Other national airlines are Emirates (EK) (Internet: www.emirates.com/de/index.asp) and Gulf Air (GF) (Internet: www.gulfairco.com). Emirates flies to Dubai from Frankfurt / aM, Hamburg, Munich, Düsseldorf, Vienna and Zurich and operates all domestic flights to and from Dubai. Gulf Air operates worldwide and flies to all airports in the United Arab Emirates.
Lufthansa (LH) flies daily non-stop from Frankfurt to Dubai and daily to Doha.
Air Berlin (AB) flies from Stuttgart to Abu Dhabi.
Condor (DE) flies to Dubai from Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg, Stuttgart and Munich.
Air France (AF) flies from Paris to Abu Dhabi five times a week. Numerous other airlines fly non-stop to Dubai and other destinations in the United Arab Emirates.
Flight times
Frankfurt – Abu Dhabi: 5 hours 55 minutes; Vienna – Dubai: 5 hours 25 minutes; Zurich – Dubai: 6 hours 20 minutes
Air passes
With the Star Alliance’s Middle East Airpass, travelers can explore Egypt, Bahrain, Yemen, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria and the United Arab Emirates on up to ten flights. More information is available on the Star Alliance website, www.staralliance.com.
With the Visit Middle East Pass from Allianz Oneworld, travelers can book any number of flights (at least 3 flights) with the participating airlines British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airways and Royal Jordanian and travel to the following 12 countries: Egypt, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and United Arab Emirates.
Departure fee
Dubai Airport: Passenger Service Charge (35 AED) or (19 €) and Passenger Security & Safety Charge (1 €) and the Passenger Facility Surcharge (9 €).
Abu Dhabi: Airport Service Fee (35 AED) or (19 €) for each departing passenger and for each transit passenger. This does not apply to transit passengers who continue to fly with the same flight number.
Other Emirates: Airport fee (AED 30) per passenger.
Arrival by car
Good road links to the United Arab Emirates from Saudi Arabia and Oman. The United Arab Emirates can be reached by land from Europe via the Trans-Arab Highway.
Long-distance bus: There are bus connections between Abu Dhabi and Oman, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. There are also bus connections between Dubai and Muscat (Oman).
Arrival by ship
The largest international ports are Jebel Ali, Rashid and Mina Zayed (Abu Dhabi), Khalid (Sharjah), Khor Fakkan in Sharjah, Saqr (Ras al-Khaimah) and Fujairah as well as the Dubai Cruise Terminal.
Various cruise ships call at the Emirates, for example Aida Cruises goes to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharm El-Sheikh and Costa Crociere to Abu Dhabi and Dubai. There are passenger and freight connections to the USA, the Far East, Australia and Europe. There is a regular connection between Sharjah and Bandar-é-Abbas (Iran).
TRAVEL WARNING
Country-specific safety information
The customs and laws of the UAE are strongly influenced by Islam and its beliefs and values. Travelers should show respect for these religious and social traditions through their clothing and behavior (especially during the fasting month of Ramadan).
Since September 2014, the terrorist organization ISIS has threatened attacks in countries allied with the United States. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) are a prominent and active member of the anti-ISIS coalition. Travelers are recommended to behave in a safety-conscious and appropriate manner, especially in large crowds.
Crime
As a country located in Middle East according to aceinland, the UAE is one of the safest countries in the Middle East with an extremely low crime rate. Nevertheless, there are isolated cases of pickpockets, e.g. B. in large shopping centers or at major events. Women and (female) adolescents traveling alone should pay particular attention when using taxis or when walking after dark, as there have been more attacks here recently.
ACCOMMODATION
Hotels
There is a large selection of hotel rooms and inexpensive accommodations. There are no seasonal price differences. Numerous international hotel chains have branches here: Hyatt, Sheraton, Hilton, InterContinental, Marriott, Forte and Ramada. First-class hotel facilities are also located on Jebel Ali and Chicago Beach. A booking confirmation is required.
Further information from the Government of Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (see addresses)./ Dubai and Jebel Ali:
In the Emirates of Dubai and Jebel Ali, a tourist tax is levied, which is based on the hotel classification.
Amount per room and per night:
5 star hotels / accommodation: AED 20 (approx. € 4),
4 star hotels / accommodation: AED 15 (approx. € 3),
3 and 2 star hotels / accommodation: AED 10 (approx. € 2).