# Commute From Dubai to RAK



## irishricey (Jan 22, 2014)

Could anyone advise me what the commute from Ras Al Khiamah to Dubai is like? I have been offered a job in Dubai and my wife has a job in RAK. What sort of time would it take to travel between the 2.
Any advice would be good


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## Jumeirah Jim (Jan 24, 2011)

DXB to RAK commute is a fairly easy one. Around an hour and little traffic from centralish DXB. 

Much worse the other way around but no idea on timings. 

RAK is a MUCH cheaper place to live (rent). Go figure!


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## irishricey (Jan 22, 2014)

Thanks. An hour sounds ok and with the cheaper rent in RAK its seems a no-brainer!


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## Jumeirah Jim (Jan 24, 2011)

Pls read what I said again. 

Cheap rents are in RAK. 

Most work is in DXB. 

I think you misread what I said. Obviously the flow of traffic into DXB at rush hour is heavier than the flow out....

There ain't much to do it RAK outside work unless you are a golfer.


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## irishricey (Jan 22, 2014)

Sorry, misread your post. I have a job in Dubai but think we are going to live in RAK. Looks like I'm in for a long drive into work each day then!


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## Jumeirah Jim (Jan 24, 2011)

I wouldn't commit to that arrangement until you have done a few weeks commuting. It could be a killer depending when /where you work in DXB.


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## TallyHo (Aug 21, 2011)

Don't make any decisions until you've seen RAK. It's a very sleepy town with next to none of the social and recreational amenities of Dubai. Some people do like living there but you'll soon realise what's best for you after seeing the place.


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

Realistically, it's takes an hour and half on clear roads. The biggest problem is going through Sharjah, especially coming into Dubai. Congestion can be horrendous, especially if there's been a crash which happens a lot. 

You can avoid this by taking the Emirates Road/Dubai Bypass (same road, old and new names) but you're still looking at one hour thirty.

Check out www rasalkhaimahtourism com

Granted it's nothing like Dubai but RAK isn't as sleepy as people are making out. A senior poster here lives there and maybe they can relay some actual experiences rather than anecdotal advice. 

There are some top end hotels there though I imagine eating out/drinking would wear thin after a while. For outdoor sports and activities - golf, camping, diving, hiking, dune bashing etc you're in a great part of the country.

In my own experience of RAK I would say that despite a lot fewer western expats there, it's quite welcoming and there is less attitude that's sometimes prevalent in Dubai. I've had to deal with hospitals, government departments and the police up there and found all to be quite helpful. None of the "the system is down" ie "come back when it's not my shift" nonsense you get here.


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## sm105 (Jan 9, 2014)

I've been doing the commute from Dubai to RAK every day pretty much for the last 2 months while waiting for my RAK residence visa to be processed.

From Jumeirah (Al Manara) to RAK Airport via Business Bay Crossing and E311 takes me 1h10m on a good day with no holdups in Sharjah. There is only one real bottleneck en route which is the National Paints area - and that too is not a major problem when heading north. If I see a traffic jam in Sharjah on my GPS before leaving, I join the E611 from the Dubai Al-Ain Road instead and that takes me about 1h25m.

On the return, I go out of my way to avoid E311 because the Sharjah bottleneck is a lot worse heading south. I take E611 from Umm Al Quwain to Dubai Al-Ain Road and then E311 from there as normal. 1h25m on a normal day with no major traffic jams.

I've done these drives at all hours of day multiple times and there is no major difference. Set your cruise control at 139kmh on the highway and none of the cameras will bother you either.


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## earthworm88 (Jun 14, 2013)

Have to agree with Mr. Rossi there! As they say, different strokes for different folks; some find RAK to be a friendly tranquil town, and others would say it is as dead as a door knob. After many years in Dubai, to me RAK is a breath of fresh air (figuratively and literally). It is overall welcoming, friendly, and generally government employees seem a tad more committed. 

Sometimes it's the little things that make life comfortable. We don't have to worry about feeding the parking meter as it is free to park anywhere in RAK (it's not about money, it's just hassle free), or driving around looking for parking spots at the malls. The queues at the supermarkets are never as long as the dragons. There are some really good restaurants (stand alone) here, and prices are relatively cheaper than Dubai for the same quality. Having said that, we still make our weekend trips to Dubai to some of our favorite cuisines that we can't find here. As for activities, it really depends on what you like to do, if you are into shopping, you will be bored quite soon though. But then, a day trip to Dubai can easily solve your problem. If you are more into nature, there are plenty of activities to keep you entertained such as hiking, driving up to the mountain, camping, golfing, BBQ by the beach, dune bashing, parks etc. 

Also, the RAK government has set up a foundation that organizes monthly activity/program that anyone can join. This is a great way to make friends (outside of work) as well as to understand the local culture/customs. 

Traffic wise, on a clear day, it takes 45 minutes from central RAK to DXB airport. So it depends on where in RAK and which part of Dubai you are commuting to, it is safe to factor in 1 hour and 30 minutes on a normal week day for commute. In my experience, E611 is much less congested unless there are some events such as the Cycle Tour when the roads will be partially closed. On E311, most congestions are usually in the Sharjah proper during rush hours (7-9AM, 5-8PM south to north worse, Thursday 2-9pm) but hopefully once the construction is completed, it will be a smoother commute. E611 will be further extended, so depends on your location, it may or may not make a difference to your commute time. Now I take E611 most time to avoid any surprises on E311. It takes me one hour from RAK City to Dubai Mall. If you have google map, it helps to know which is the best way to go since it gives you live traffic updates. 

Since each of you have a job in different emirate, one of you will have to commute anyways, it would make sense to live in RAK as the rent is so much cheaper. Hopefully you will find RAK to be as enjoyable as we have so far. Good luck!


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## saraswat (Apr 28, 2012)

Been making the commute for the past 3 weeks. And have been living there for 3 years, until recently. 

Would echo everything Rossi and earthworm said... the number of western expats is increasing at a rather fast rate. Most tend to live in the Hamra development, which is technically not RAK proper (think Marina and Dubai museum/ Bur Dubai ...) 

As far as the commute is concerned, I wake up at 5:30, am in my car at 6:15 and get to the DWTC at or before 8 o'clock. I take the 611 (now emirates road) and face slow downs at the maliha street (sharjah) point and then later on Al Khail Rd (E44), at the first roundabout and then where 311 (smbzd) intersects E44 ... 

Without tailbacks/slowdowns, its a straight 1 hr 20 min drive. With traffic issues, its anyone's guess! 

Just remember if you are going to do this then do not, absolutely do not take E311. Forget that such a road exists and plan your travel ....


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