# Commute to Abu Dhabi from Dubai



## travel5 (Dec 22, 2012)

My husband is considering a job in Abu Dhabi, but I am thinking that I would rather live in Dubai. How long would it take for him to drive? We have three school age kids. Where do you think is a better place to live for a family? Thanks for any info.


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## IzzyBella (Mar 11, 2013)

http://www.expatforum.com/expats/du...bai/427657-moving-dubai-baby.html#post3932945


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## travel5 (Dec 22, 2012)

Thanks for the info. A commute of 1.5 to 2 hours would be too much. I was hoping it was more like 45 minutes to an hour. It seems like even if he went to work really early, it wouldn't cut down the time enough.


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## Tropicana (Apr 29, 2010)

Depends on where he works in Abu Dhabi and where you live in Dubai. In not so heavy traffic it can be anything from 45 to 90 minutes. If traffis is heavy and there is an accident, add 15-30 minutes

IMO unless he works outside the island/near the airport, it will not be worth it.

For e.g. it is ~45-50 minutes from JLT to Abu Dhabi airport, but traffic is bad on the way back between 330 and 6pm, and particularly so on Thursdays.


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## RandomDude (Mar 7, 2014)

Stop. Please stop.
It is hell, I'm a raod warrior, and about to loose my brain and body.

It is insane, very tiring and dangerous. No one should endure this.

No wonder bus drivers crash into lorries and kill 13 people alnog


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## Mitchellsmom (Feb 3, 2012)

Abu Dhabi is lovely. Your family life will be much better. Unless your really into night clubs….go to Abu Dhabi. I live in Dubai with a 16 year old child. I would move to Abu Dhabi in a heartbeat. We are past the nightclub stage of life. We love the beach- and Abu Dhabi has that!


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## Jumeirah Jim (Jan 24, 2011)

What Tropicana said about the commute. I did it for 6 months into central AD from Jumeira and it was truly horrible. Much worse in the evenings when all the traffic funnels into Jebel Ali's already heavy traffic heading Dubai bound and you are tired after a day at work. Bank on 2 hours minimum to get home on Thursday nights. There are accidents most days so it is dangerous as a long-term proposition. 

For a young family AD is perfect. Much more laid back than Dubai. Getting into good schools is equally challenging in both cities so not a deciding factor. If you want Dubai at the weekend it is a very easy drive when the roads are quiet.


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## travel5 (Dec 22, 2012)

Thanks for the advice. Guess I will focus on schools and housing in Abu Dhabi.


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## Laowei (Nov 29, 2009)

travel5 said:


> Thanks for the advice. Guess I will focus on schools and housing in Abu Dhabi.


What Jim said. Ive been doing Dubai - AD for the last 6 weeks every day, sometime twice in a day and the drive back sucks the life blood out of you. I can do Dubai to Mussafah in around an hour and 15mins if i leave after 9am at return before 3pm. Yesterday was the first day i didnt need to go to AD and my wife actually noticed a lightening of my usual grumpy mood. 

My project finishes this Friday and the thought of only a once a week visit to AD after that is the only thing keeping me sane.


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## Fat Bhoy Tim (Feb 28, 2013)

And Abu Dhabi is less chavvy ... bonus!


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## didi777 (Apr 29, 2014)

Hi there,

We are soon to move from the UK to Dubai but my husband will be working in Abu Dhabi every day- so will drive there.
These posts are very helpful and now I'm very worried that this will not be good for him or for us as a small family. I don't want him unhappy and very tired all the time from doing all this driving.
We are considering the Greens or JLT to live…and I'm understanding from all this that the drive would always be 1.5 hours- if between 3:30-6pm it takes 2 hours or a bit less- then I'm not sure if this would be worth it at all for a better lifestyle we are seeking?

??


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## rsinner (Feb 3, 2009)

Depending on where he needs to work in AD, from Greens it took me about 1 hr 15 minutes (with a very short stop in between) to get to AD downtown at rush hour without any accident/fog/rain etc related delays. Getting out of Greens in the direction of AD used to take time a year back during rush hour - not sure if it is still the same.

The only way to maintain sanity doing the AD commute is to car pool or by getting a driver. Car pool only works if the working hours are fixed. If its a high pressure job and/or has unpredictable working hours, living closer to work is a much better option.

PS: Just saw that you have posted the same question in 3 places.
Commute to Masdar City would probably be about 50 mins from Greens/JLT if there are no delays. Thursdays might take longer. Also, in case he is employed by Masdar which is a govt entity, I hope you have clarified with your employer that he can indeed stay in Dubai and not lose his housing allowance. Also, do note that govt. company employees need an AD tenancy contract to sponsor their family members. Though if he is employed by a private company based in Masdar city that is not an issue.


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## travel5 (Dec 22, 2012)

We just found out that we got places at American School of Dubai, our first choice, for all of our kids. We will most likely get our distant second choice for school places in Abu Dhabi. This makes me really want to make the commute work. Any suggestions for where to live in Dubai that would work for me driving the kids to ASD and hubby driving to Musaffah, Abu Dhabi? How long would it take him?


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## TallyHo (Aug 21, 2011)

It's hard to beat ASD for quality of education within the UAE.

I gather you want a villa. I would look into the Meadows/Springs/Lakes, or Jumeirah Park. They're on the south end of Dubai, just behind Jumeirah Lakes Towers. It's probably 15 minutes to ASD for you and 1.15 hours for your husband.

A bit further out is the Green Community, which cuts your husband's commute by 10 minutes (maybe! entirely depends on traffic) and adds another 10-15 minutes for you to/from school.

Otherwise there's really nothing until you get to AD. 

The tolerance of the commute varies greatly. Many people do it and it works for them. It won't work for others. It would be a lot easier if your husband has some flexibility with his work hours (earlier the better) and can work from home one day a week. Good luck!



travel5 said:


> We just found out that we got places at American School of Dubai, our first choice, for all of our kids. We will most likely get our distant second choice for school places in Abu Dhabi. This makes me really want to make the commute work. Any suggestions for where to live in Dubai that would work for me driving the kids to ASD and hubby driving to Musaffah, Abu Dhabi? How long would it take him?


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## twowheelsgood (Feb 21, 2013)

So, you have decided to live in Dubai without seeing Abu Dhabi, and are trying to find an easy way to telecommute along a road covered with bad driving, congestion and crashes ?

Just live in AD and solve your problems and think about moving to Dubai at a later stage if you really cannot stand it.

I would lay money that you will never bother moving to Dubai.


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## TallyHo (Aug 21, 2011)

To be fair, they were offered places at ASD, which is top notch. 

If your only alternative was a second, even third, rate school in AD, I can understand the quandary.

To OP: now that you have the ASD offer in hand, why not try going back to your 1st choice school in Abu Dhabi and say, hey, we have places at ASD but we'd love to be able to live in AD and we would be more than happy to attend your school blah blah blah. Dropping the ASD name may help as ASD is a difficult school to gain admissions to and it might impress the AD school. Never know what might help.

Your husband's success in commuting will depend on his tolerance, ability to have flexible working hours and perhaps even willingness to stay in a cheap hotel 1-2 nights a week if needed. If he has to be in the office from 9-6 every day, then it will be a tough and wearisome commute. 



twowheelsgood said:


> So, you have decided to live in Dubai without seeing Abu Dhabi, and are trying to find an easy way to telecommute along a road covered with bad driving, congestion and crashes ?
> 
> Just live in AD and solve your problems and think about moving to Dubai at a later stage if you really cannot stand it.
> 
> I would lay money that you will never bother moving to Dubai.


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## travel5 (Dec 22, 2012)

twowheelsgood said:


> So, you have decided to live in Dubai without seeing Abu Dhabi, and are trying to find an easy way to telecommute along a road covered with bad driving, congestion and crashes ? Just live in AD and solve your problems and think about moving to Dubai at a later stage if you really cannot stand it. I would lay money that you will never bother moving to Dubai.


I have nothing against Abu Dhabi. My impression was that ASD was a top notch school and I didn't want to throw away that opportunity for my kids without exploring the commuting options, especially for my oldest child who will likely graduate high school from the school we pick. Secondly, we are from Houston where my husband had a 70+ minute plus commute. Maybe that is not comparable because of the safety issues. Anyway, thanks everyone for the comments.


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## Tropicana (Apr 29, 2010)

A substantial number of people in the Houston (and Dallas) metroplexes have hour long commutes, however having driven extensively there and having done the AUH-Dubai commute as well, they are worlds apart, in terms of safety as you mentioned, etiquette, absolute lack of any consideration for others, extreme displays of ego. 
An 80 mile Abu Dhabi to Dubai drive on Thursday evening tires me out mentally much more than the 200 miles from DFW to Austin


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