Planning a UAE Getaway? How a Rental Car Can Make Your Trip Easier
Flying from the UK to the UAE for a getaway? See how a hire car fits the trip: UK license rules, driving on the right, tolls and what to read before you book.
Seven hours. That’s about how long a direct flight from London to Dubai takes, and with the UAE four hours ahead of the UK in winter (three once British Summer Time starts), you can still land with an afternoon to spare. Most people spend it by the hotel pool. Fine, but a bit of a waste.
Hiring a car is what stretches that afternoon into a proper holiday. For a family or a small group, a Geely rental is one way to get a recent automatic from the car rental companies in Dubai without paying luxury prices, and it opens up more of the emirates than a taxi budget will.
Also read: How to Recover Deleted Photos and Videos From an SD Card After a Trip
What the map doesn’t show
On a map, Abu Dhabi looks like a short hop. It’s about 140 km, call it ninety minutes when the roads are quiet. Hatta, close to the Omani border, is around 130 km from Dubai too. Taxis meter all of it and leave when the driver’s ready, not you. Behind your own wheel, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque fits in before lunch and the way home is entirely your call.
A car is worth it if you’re planning:
- a day trip to Abu Dhabi
- a day trip to Hatta
- a week or longer in the country, when taxi fares start to add up
- travelling with children
- travelling with a lot of luggage
- a hotel that’s far from the places you want to visit
Driving in the UAE as a Brit
UK drivers get a fairly easy ride on paperwork. A valid photocard licence covers tourists and other visitors, though residents need a UAE one. The Foreign Office warns that a paper licence may need updating or come with an international driving permit, and a few rental firms ask for a permit anyway. Most want the licence held for a year at least, so check with the supplier before you fly.
Driving on the right takes a few kilometres to feel normal, and tiredness after the flight doesn’t help. Drift left at a junction and you’ll soon know about it.
Alcohol is simpler: none. The Foreign Office says drink-driving is illegal at any level, however small the amount. Speed cameras are widespread and the limits are clearly signposted.
Then there’s Salik, Dubai’s automatic toll system. Gates read a tag on the windscreen, and rental cars normally have one fitted. The supplier passes the charge on, either on your final bill or out of the deposit. Worth asking which.
Before you book
A car rental company in the UAE will want your passport with the UAE entry stamp, your licence and a credit card, typically in the driver’s own name. Photocard, not paper. Keep all three in your hand luggage, because they’re the first things you’ll be asked for.
Depending on the rental car you choose – maybe a luxury segment or a premium one – a deposit can be blocked on your card. Although there are many rental offers without a deductible deposit, just check a reliable car rental platform.
Read the offer right to the end. Deposits differ: some listings show none, others hold an amount. Fuel and insurance terms live in the offer itself, and the minimum driver age changes from supplier to supplier, so check it for everyone who’ll be driving. Free cancellation, where it’s shown, is handy if flights move.
Keep the plan loose. Pick the car even before you arrive, from an online car rental company like Renty, and give a day each to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Hatta. Enjoy your drive!
