Sharjah to Al Ain taxi fares.

Sharjah to Al Ain taxi fare: the short answer

A taxi from Sharjah to Al Ain is a metered trip of around 150 to 170 km, so expect several hundred dirhams for one car, one way, before any return. For a group, our vans start from AED 450 per day for a 13-seater with driver and fuel, and a day to Al Ain is quoted for its distance, with the driver waiting and bringing everyone back.

Below is how the taxi fare builds up, what the alternatives cost, and which one we would pick for different groups.

The road and the time

Most drivers leave Sharjah on Emirates Road (E611), then join the Dubai to Al Ain road (E66) for the long straight run inland. From Al Majaz or Al Nahda it takes about an hour and three quarters in clear traffic, a little less from the airport side of the city and a little more from Ajman. Leaving Sharjah between about 7 and 9 a.m. on a weekday adds time, because the roads around the city are busy before you reach the open highway.

Al Ain is part of Abu Dhabi emirate, so a Sharjah taxi is crossing two borders on the way. That matters for the fare and for the ride home.

How a long taxi fare builds up

• A starting fare, higher if you take the taxi from Sharjah Airport
• The meter, which counts distance and time spent in slow traffic
• A possible extra charge for a trip that ends outside Sharjah; SRTA publishes the current amounts
• The trip back, which is a separate fare in a different taxi

We don’t print a per kilometre rate, because SRTA sets the tariff and changes it. What we can say is that two hours on a meter is the most expensive way to travel by taxi in the UAE, and some drivers would rather not take a trip that leaves them two hours from home with an empty car. Agree it at the rank, or use the operator’s app estimate, before you set off.

Four ways from Sharjah to Al Ain, compared

For comparison, the typical market range for a 13 to 14 seat van on a full day from Dubai to Abu Dhabi and back is AED 600 to 800. Al Ain is a similar distance, which gives you a fair idea of where a group day lands.

One way, or there and back?

A taxi only makes sense one way. If you are visiting family in Al Ain for the weekend, take it, or book a car at a fixed price if you have luggage or a fixed time.

A day trip is different. The Al Ain Oasis, the zoo, the museums and the drive up Jebel Hafeet are spread out, and a taxi between each of them, plus the long fare home, adds up to more than most people expect. A vehicle with a driver who waits all day is usually the better buy for anyone travelling with family or friends. Our Al Ain day trip page has a sample day and the sights, and we collect from Sharjah and Ajman as well as Dubai.

Worked examples

Example: two people from Al Nahda to a relative’s house in Al Ain, one way, light bags, mid-morning. Take a taxi, or a pre-booked car with a driver in Sharjah if you want the price fixed first.

Example: a family of six, there and back on a Saturday. That is two taxis each way, four long fares in all, and the family split across two cars. A 7-seater van keeps everyone together for the day, from AED 900 per day at our starting price before the Al Ain route is added.

Example: twelve colleagues to Jebel Hafeet for a team day. A 13-seater van starts from AED 450 per day. Even after the Al Ain distance is priced in, the cost is shared twelve ways, and nobody is looking for a taxi at the top of the mountain at sunset.

Example: a solo traveller with a backpack and a free day. The bus is fine. It is slow, but it is the lowest-cost way there.

Coming back from Al Ain

Al Ain has its own metered taxis, regulated by Abu Dhabi, and they are easy to find in the town centre. They are much harder to find at the top of Jebel Hafeet or outside the zoo at closing time. If your day ends somewhere like that, the return trip is the reason to book a driver who waits.

Coming back to Sharjah after about 4 p.m. on a weekday, the last half hour into the city is usually the slowest part of the whole drive.

Booking a car or van to Al Ain

Send the date, the pick-up point in Sharjah, the places you want to visit, the number of people and bags through the booking form or by email to info@emiratesbushire.com. You get a written quote with the vehicle, the hours and the price. For other ideas, see our day trips from Dubai, or van rental in Sharjah for the vans themselves.

Related: Al Ain day trip · Car with driver Sharjah · Van rental Sharjah · Sharjah Airport taxi vs transfer · Sharjah to Abu Dhabi · Get a quote

Keep reading

• Al Ain day trip: A private Al Ain day trip from Dubai: the oasis, the forts, the zoo and the road up Jebel Hafeet, with your own driver all day.
• Sharjah to Dubai taxi fare: What a taxi from Sharjah to Dubai really costs, why the same trip can double at rush hour, and when a pre-booked car or van is the cheaper answer.
• Dubai to Fujairah taxi fare: What a taxi from Dubai or Dubai Airport to Fujairah costs, against a pre-booked car, a group van and the bus.
• Sharjah Airport taxi vs transfer: How Sharjah Airport taxi fares build up, how many cars a group really needs, and when a van or coach is the better buy.
• Dubai to Ras Al Khaimah transfers: One-way and return group transfers from Dubai hotels and airports to Al Marjan Island, Al Hamra, Mina Al Arab and Ras Al Khaimah city.
• Sharjah to Dubai by bus: How the public buses between Sharjah and Dubai work, where they struggle at rush hour, and when a private bus is worth it.