Expert Info

Posted by
on 7 Jul 2011

What's the state of public transport in Abu Dhabi? Still haven't learned to drive stick shift, and not even sure that there's cars available in automatic? Also, I HATE driving and would be prepared to shell out some additional cash if I could live in a pedestrian-friendly area. That said, is it normal for people to walk, is this wishful thinking?

Anonymous (not verified) on 11 Jul 2011 - 20:49
You must be thinking of Abu Dhabi in the 1960s, when Range Rovers and Land Cruisers ruled the desert and there were no paved roads. You won't go many places with nicer and newer cars than Abu Dhabi. Traffic is bad, and drivers are somewhat aggressive, but all and all it is an easy place to drive, since the streets are arranged in a grid and traffic controls are very western. Busses are very inexpensive, and fairly frequent, but they are slow, so you would only want to use them if you have lots of time on your hands. Cabs are relatively cheap and pretty easy to get, anywhere on the island. There are sidewalks and the new master plan hopes to encourage walking. The downtown area is quite compact so walking 6 months a year is quite reasonable. However, from May through October, it is a little too hot.