Abu Dhabi is twice the size of Dubai and noticeably calmer in pace. Distances are longer and public transport is thinner, so getting around without a car is hard. The airport is about 30 kilometres from the centre, and Yas Island with Ferrari World roughly 20.
How it differs from Dubai
The main difference is the toll roads. Abu Dhabi runs its own Darb system, unconnected to Dubai's Salik. Gates sit on the four bridges onto the island and charge four dirhams at peak times. The system operates from 7 to 9 am and 5 to 7 pm on weekdays, and is free at weekends.
Parking is marked by kerb colour. Black and white means free, blue and black means paid and yellow and black means no parking. You pay at a meter or through the Darb app.
The speed limit on the Abu Dhabi to Dubai motorway reaches 140 km/h, but the 20 km/h tolerance drivers get used to elsewhere does not apply here. Cameras trigger exactly at the posted limit.
What to see by car
The Sheikh Zayed Mosque, the Corniche waterfront, Yas Island with its circuit and theme parks, and the Louvre Abu Dhabi on Saadiyat. Outside the city are the Al Ain oasis and the Liwa dunes, which are all but unreachable without your own car.
Which car to choose
Any saloon suits the city and the motorway: the roads are smooth and there is less traffic than in Dubai. If you plan to head for the dunes, take a four-wheel-drive SUV such as a Land Cruiser, Patrol or Pajero.
