Sharjah adjoins Dubai to the north-east and the border between the emirates is barely noticeable, with districts running into one another. Many people live in Sharjah and work in Dubai because housing is considerably cheaper.
About the traffic
This is the defining feature. The road between Sharjah and Dubai is the busiest corridor in the country. From 7 to 9:30 in the morning and 5:30 to 8 in the evening it grinds to a halt, and twenty kilometres can take an hour and a half. Plan your trips outside those windows; the difference is enormous.
Alcohol ban
Sharjah bans alcohol completely: you may neither drink it nor carry it through the emirate. If you are driving from Dubai with Duty Free purchases, take the E611 around Sharjah rather than through the city.
What to see
The Museum of Islamic Civilisation, the old Al Jubail market, the Al Majaz waterfront with its fountain and the Al Qasba district. Outside the city, Mleiha has an archaeological centre and dunes an hour's drive away.
Which car to choose
For daily trips between the emirates take an economical saloon or hatchback: in stop-start traffic a large SUV drinks noticeably more. If you drive rarely and over long distances the difference matters less.
