Capital: Abu Dhabi.
Time
Local time: coincides with Moscow in summer, +1 hour to Moscow in winter.
Electricity
The voltage in electrical networks is 220/240 V, the current frequency is 50 Hz. Some electrical appliances may require an adapter.
Mode of stay and movement
There are no special restrictions on movement within the country.
Currency
The national currency is the dirham (1 dirham is equal to 100 fils). Banknotes of the following denominations are in circulation: 5, 10, 50, 100, 200 and 500 dirhams, as well as coins in denominations of 5 and 1 dirham, 50 and 25 fils.
Currency exchange: the working day in banks is usually from 8:00 to 13:00, on days from Saturday to Wednesday. Some banks are also open in the evenings: from 16:00 to 18:30. On Thursdays, banks are open from 8:00 to 12:00. Currency exchange offices operate according to the following schedule: from 8:30 to 13:00 and from 16:30 to 20:30.
Connection
There are many telephone boxes on the streets of Arab cities, with which you can call using either coins of 50 fils, 1.5 dirhams, or plastic cards in the amount of 30, 45, 60 dirhams, purchased both in various stores and supermarkets, and on filling stations.
It is economically more profitable to use international telephone services with the help of such street machines, telephone calls in a hotel will cost much more.
Telephone numbers for emergencies:
- 999 – ambulance;
- 999 – police;
- 997 – fire brigade.
Inquiry service – 180. The exit code for international calls is 00 (Abu Dhabi), the code for the United Arab Emirates is 971.
Emirates and city codes:
- 02 – Abu Dhabi, Musafa;
- 03 – Al-Ain;
- 04 – Dubai;
- 06 – Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain;
- 07 – Ras Al Khaimah;
- 09 – Fujairah, Dibba;
- 070 – Corfacan.
Transport
The United Arab Emirates has 6 international airports located in cities such as Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Dubai, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, El Fujairah.
The United Arab Emirates has a very well developed public road transport network: the capitals of the emirates are connected by permanent routes, and intra-city bus service is also developed, operating around the clock. Tickets for travel in public transport are purchased from the driver. In addition to buses, taxis are often found on the streets of Arab cities, providing stops on demand.
Taxi is a very popular mode of transport for both tourists and locals. Municipal taxis operate at fixed prices, taxis owned by commercial organizations provide for bargaining with the client, so the initial fares are offered to the client somewhat inflated. In a taxi that has the inscription “Emirates Taxi”, the prices are several times higher than in ordinary taxis.
Practiced in the United Arab Emirates and private transport, however, it should be borne in mind that it is undesirable for single European tourists to use this type of transport. In addition, in this country there is a tradition: a woman always rides in the back seat of a car.
Important: For women, since 2007, a network of special women’s taxis has been operating in Dubai, which are easy to recognize: the drivers are women, and the cars are painted pink.
The original Dubai type of water transport is sea taxis – abras, connecting the banks of the canal of the city of Dubai, travel on this type of transport is fixed and quite inexpensive.
The United Arab Emirates offers its guests such a service as car rental, for registration you will need an international driver’s license (with a period of issue of more than a year), a credit card, in addition, the age of those wishing to rent a car must exceed 21 years. The minimum rental period is 24 hours.
Hitchhiking is prohibited in this country, voting on the side of the roadway is an administrative violation under local laws.
Important: The UAE Police are very strict in following the rules of the road. Violations such as speeding or not wearing a seat belt are punishable by heavy fines. Drunk driving is punishable by imprisonment and deportation from the country.
Tips
Tipping in the United Arab Emirates for hotel staff, waiters and taxi drivers is typically 10%. In many establishments, tips are automatically included in the total amount of the bill. See liuxers for United Arab Emirates customs and traditions.
