An Abu Dhabi day trip from Dubai by coach, for your group alone.

A private Abu Dhabi day trip by coach for groups

Shared coach tours from Dubai to Abu Dhabi run every day, but they work to someone else’s timetable and fill the seats with strangers. For a company, a school, a delegation or a large family, hiring your own coach for an Abu Dhabi day trip from Dubai means choosing the stops, the pace and the lunch, and leaving when your group is ready rather than when the tour says so.

This page covers group day trips that start and finish in Dubai or the northern Emirates. We provide the vehicle and the driver; you choose the programme, and we time the transport around it.

Route and timings

The drive from central Dubai to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque takes about an hour and a half along the E11 — a little more from Deira or Sharjah and a little less from Jebel Ali. Morning traffic leaving Dubai can add time, so we usually suggest a pick-up between 7:30 and 8:30 a.m.

With three to four hours of driving in total, book ten-hour full-day hire. Extra hours are listed on the quote if you want to stay for the evening — the Corniche at sunset or a dinner on Yas Island.

Building the day

• Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque: allow at least ninety minutes. Visits are booked through the mosque’s official website and there is a strict dress code, so check the current rules and visiting hours before the day
• Qasr Al Watan, the presidential palace, which is open to visitors
• Louvre Abu Dhabi on Saadiyat Island
• Yas Island: Ferrari World, Warner Bros. World, Yas Waterworld or SeaWorld
• The Corniche and the Heritage Village for a slower afternoon

Two major stops plus lunch make a comfortable day. Groups heading to a Yas Island park often make that the whole day, with an early start and a return after the park closes — ask us to add hours to the quote.

The right coach for the trip

For a whole day on the E11, comfort matters. Our 50-seat luxury coaches and 35-seater coaches have reclining seats, a PA system for a guide and under-floor holds for bags. Smaller groups travel in a Sprinter or a mini coach. Bigger groups combine vehicles — two coaches for a year group, for example, travelling in convoy on the same programme.

Every seat has a seat belt and the air-conditioning is checked before departure. The driver waits at each stop and keeps the coach cool for the return, which matters after an hour in the sun on the mosque’s courtyards.

Guides, tickets and lunch

We are a transport company, not a tour operator: attraction tickets, guided tours and restaurant bookings are arranged directly by you or your guide. That keeps the programme in your hands, and our quote covers exactly what we provide — the vehicle, the driver, fuel and Salik tolls — with waiting time and extra hours shown before you confirm.

If you bring a guide, the PA microphone on our larger coaches means everyone hears the commentary on the way. For a delegation, a short briefing on the drive is often the most useful forty minutes of the day.

Planning for heat and long days

From May to September, Abu Dhabi is as hot as Dubai, and the mosque’s courtyards and the Corniche offer little shade at midday. In those months, start earlier, keep outdoor stops short and save indoor attractions — the Louvre, Qasr Al Watan or a Yas Island park — for the middle of the day. Bring water for everyone; the driver keeps the coach cool between stops.

School and corporate trips

Schools book Abu Dhabi day trips for the Grand Mosque, Qasr Al Watan and the Louvre, all of which tie in with history, religious studies and art. Drivers follow the school’s pick-up procedure and the trip lead receives the driver’s details the day before; our school trip transport guide covers the planning. Companies use the day for client hospitality, incentive groups and visiting head-office teams, often finishing with a dinner before the drive home.

Booking

Send us the date, headcount, pick-up point and your outline programme through the booking form. Between October and April, book two to four weeks ahead, particularly for weekends and school trips. If your group only needs a one-way move to an Abu Dhabi hotel or event, choose a one-way trip on the form instead.

Related: Tours & Desert Trips · 50-Seater Luxury Coach · Dubai to Jebel Jais (RAK) · School trip transport guide · Book online