Living in Ajman and working or playing in Dubai or Sharjah is one of the great expat trade-offs: cheaper rent and a calmer pace, in exchange for sitting in the famous Sharjah corridor traffic. The good news is you have plenty of ways to make the trip, from a 12 dirham bus to a door to door taxi. Here is the honest local rundown on buses, taxis and how long it really takes.
Ajman sits right in the middle of the action, wedged between Sharjah and the open road south to Dubai. That is brilliant for choice and less brilliant at 8am on a weekday. Let us break it down route by route.
Al Musalla Bus Station, Ajman
Ajman’s main bus hub and the starting point for every intercity route to Dubai and Sharjah.
Area: Sheikh Abdullah Bin Rashid Al Nuaimi Street, Al Musalla, Ajman (a short walk from the Corniche, near Ajman Museum)
Routes from here: RTA E400 and E411 to Dubai, SRTA Route 112 to Sharjah Al Jubail, plus local Ajman Transport Authority lines.
Operator: Ajman Transport Authority
Best for: Anyone living in Al Musalla, Al Rashidiya, Al Nuaimiya or near the Corniche.
Map: Open in Google Maps
Ajman to Sharjah
Sharjah is practically next door, so this is the easy one. The two emirates blur into each other and on a good run you are looking at 20 to 30 minutes by car. At peak times that can stretch well past an hour because the Ajman-Sharjah border is one of the busiest squeeze points in the country.
By bus
Two Sharjah SRTA (Mowasalat) intercity routes link the two emirates. Route 112 runs from Al Musalla Bus Station 1 in Ajman to Al Jubail Bus Terminal in Sharjah, and Route 114 runs from Ajman City Centre to the same Al Jubail Bus Terminal. Both run roughly every 30 minutes, from about 06:00 am to 11:30 pm. The fare is AED 6 one way (about AED 12 return), paid by cash or Masaar card. The distance is short at around 13km, but with stops and border traffic it can take a while, so allow more time than the map suggests.
Sharjah SRTA Routes 112 and 114 (Ajman to Sharjah)
The two intercity bus routes connecting Ajman with Sharjah’s Al Jubail Bus Terminal.
Route 112: Al Musalla Bus Station 1, Ajman to Al Jubail Bus Terminal, Sharjah.
Route 114: Ajman City Centre to Al Jubail Bus Terminal, Sharjah.
Operator: Sharjah Roads and Transport Authority (SRTA / Mowasalat)
Frequency: Roughly every 30 minutes, around 6am to 11:30pm.
Fare: AED 6 one way, AED 12 return.
Payment: Cash or Masaar card (no Nol on Sharjah buses).
Website: srta.gov.ae
Al Jubail Bus Terminal, Sharjah
Sharjah’s main central bus terminal, the SRTA arrival point for Routes 112 and 114 from Ajman.
Area: Corniche Street, Al Jubail, Sharjah (next to Souq Al Jubail, near Sharjah Central Souq and Khalid Lagoon)
Operator: Sharjah Roads and Transport Authority
Best for: Onward connections to Rolla, Bu Daniq, Al Qasimia and intercity routes to Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Map: Open in Google Maps
WOW-Ajman Expert Tip: The Ajman-Sharjah border crawls hardest between 7am and 9am and again from 5pm to 8pm. If your day is flexible, shift your trip by even half an hour and you will save yourself a small fortune in patience.
Ajman to Dubai
This is the big one and the reason so many Ajman residents become traffic philosophers. The distance is only around 30km but the journey time swings wildly depending on when you travel. Off-peak you can do it in 40 to 50 minutes. In full morning rush, budget 90 minutes or more and do not be shocked if it tips over two hours after rain or an accident on the corridor.
By bus
The intercity buses are the budget hero here. Two RTA routes serve Ajman to Dubai, the E400 and the E411, both leaving from Al Musalla Bus Station in Ajman. They are paid by Nol card only, with no cash accepted, so grab a Nol card before you board.
RTA Route E400 (Ajman to Dubai Union)
The flagship Ajman to Dubai intercity bus, terminating at Union Metro Station for a direct Red Line connection.
Endpoints: Al Musalla Bus Station, Ajman to Union Metro Station, Dubai (via Sharjah, around 9 stops)
Operator: Roads and Transport Authority Dubai (RTA)
Frequency: Roughly every 30 minutes, from around 4:30 to 6am until about 11:30pm.
Journey time: 50 to 60 minutes off-peak; longer in rush hour.
Fare: About AED 15 Ajman-Dubai; about AED 12 return.
Payment: Nol card only (no cash).
Live timetable: rta.ae or S’hail app.
RTA Route E411 (Ajman to Dubai Etisalat)
The Al Qusais option. Fewer stops than the E400, so it can be a touch quicker for Red Line riders heading to north Dubai.
Endpoints: Al Musalla Bus Station, Ajman to Etisalat Metro Station, Al Qusais, Dubai
Operator: Roads and Transport Authority Dubai (RTA)
Frequency: Multiple departures per hour through the day; confirm live with S’hail.
Fare: About AED 12.
Payment: Nol card only.
Best for: Commuters heading to Deira, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah or northern Dubai.
Live timetable: rta.ae or S’hail app.
- E400: runs between Ajman Al Musalla Bus Station and Dubai Union Metro Station, going through Sharjah with around nine stops. The journey takes roughly 50 to 60 minutes depending on traffic, with buses about every 30 minutes from early morning (around 04:30 to 06:00) until about 11:30 pm. The fare is about AED 15 in the Ajman to Dubai direction and about AED 12 coming back from Dubai to Ajman.
- E411: runs between Ajman Al Musalla Bus Station and Dubai Etisalat Metro Station in Al Qusais, with fewer stops so it can be a little quicker. The fare is about AED 12.
Both Union and Etisalat are Dubai Metro Red Line stations, so you can step off the bus and connect straight onto the Metro. Always check the live timetable and fare with the operator, as departure times, frequencies and prices get tweaked.
By taxi and ride-hail
For door to door comfort, a taxi from Ajman to Dubai typically runs in the AED 80 to 120 range depending on your exact destination and the time of day. Peak surge can push that higher. Ajman Taxi serves the emirate well, and both Careem and Uber operate here too, so you can book a ride from your phone just as you would in Dubai. Ride-hail apps are handy when you want a fixed fare quoted up front, though that quote climbs during busy periods.
Taxi and ride-hail in Ajman
The three ways most residents book a ride to Dubai or Sharjah.
Ajman Taxi: Government taxi service. Book via the Ajman Taxi app, or hail at malls and hotel ranks.
Careem: careem.com or the Careem app. Cars, Careem Now and economy options.
Uber: uber.com or the Uber app. UberX through Uber Premier.
Typical fare Ajman to Dubai: AED 80 to 120 off-peak; surge can lift it to AED 150+.
Tip: Confirm the fare quote before you tap “request” during peak hours, especially after rain.
One to watch if you travel with a child of determination: in July 2026 the Ajman Transport Authority signed an agreement with the Emirates Autism Society to equip and operate a sensory taxi for passengers with autism spectrum disorder. The Authority is fitting out and running the vehicle, while the Society is advising on the sensory design and training the drivers who will crew it. The Authority has not yet published a launch date, a fare, or a booking line, so it is not something you can request today. We will update this guide the moment a booking channel goes live. Details are on the Ajman Government Media Office announcement.
Connecting to the Dubai Metro
The smart play for many commuters is bus plus metro. Take the E400 to Union or the E411 to Etisalat, both Red Line stations, and pick up the Metro from there. Park the car, let the bus do the corridor slog then glide the rest of the way underground. Your Nol card works for both, which keeps things simple.
By car and the traffic reality
If you drive, you will mostly use Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road (E311) for the fastest run south, with the older Al Ittihad Road (E11) as a backup when the E311 snarls up. Both feed the same chokepoint at the Sharjah-Dubai boundary, so neither is a magic escape during rush hour. Anyone who has done this commute will tell you the same thing: leave early or leave late, but never leave on time.
Petrol is cheap by global standards but it adds up over a daily commute, so it is worth keeping an eye on the monthly rate. See our guide to the petrol price in Ajman to budget your fuel. If you still need to get your licence sorted, our Ajman driving licence guide walks through the swap and training routes.
WOW-Ajman Expert Tip: A live maps app is your best friend on the corridor. Check it before you pull out of the drive, not when you are already stuck. The two routes south can differ by 30 minutes depending on the day.
Travel times at a glance
- Ajman to Sharjah: 20 to 30 minutes off-peak, often over an hour at rush hour.
- Ajman to Dubai by car: 40 to 50 minutes off-peak, 90 minutes to 2 hours in heavy traffic.
- Ajman to Dubai by bus: 50 to 60 minutes off-peak on the E400, plus your walk and wait time.
- Ajman to Dubai by taxi: similar to driving, roughly AED 80 to 120.
Tips for a smoother trip
- Keep a topped-up Nol card for the Dubai buses and the metro so you never get caught short at the gate, and cash or a Masaar card for the Sharjah buses.
- Travel against the flow where you can, as outbound from Dubai in the morning is far quieter than inbound.
- For regular commuting, pair the bus with the metro to skip the worst of the corridor.
- Heading the other direction up north? See our guide to Ajman to Ras Al Khaimah transport.
- New to the emirate and weighing up where to live? Our Ajman real estate guide and the wider Moving to Ajman guide are good next reads.
Frequently asked questions
The RTA E400 and E411 intercity buses cost about AED 15 from Ajman to Dubai on the E400 and about AED 12 on the E411 and coming back, paid by Nol card only with no cash. Confirm the current fare with the RTA as prices can change.
Off-peak the drive is about 40 to 50 minutes, but in morning or evening rush hour it can stretch to 90 minutes or more depending on the corridor traffic.
Yes, both Careem and Uber operate in Ajman alongside Ajman Taxi, so you can book a ride to Dubai or Sharjah from your phone. Expect higher fares during peak surge periods.
Sharjah SRTA routes 112 and 114 link Ajman and Sharjah. Route 112 runs from Al Musalla Bus Station 1 in Ajman and Route 114 from Ajman City Centre, both to Al Jubail Bus Terminal in Sharjah, roughly every 30 minutes for AED 6 one way, paid by cash or Masaar card. Confirm timings and fares with Sharjah SRTA.
Al Musalla Bus Station sits on Sheikh Abdullah Bin Rashid Al Nuaimi Street in Al Musalla, Ajman, a short walk from the Corniche and near Ajman Museum. It is Ajman’s main bus hub and the starting point for the RTA E400 and E411 to Dubai and Sharjah SRTA Route 112.
No. Ajman has no metro. The nearest metro line is in Dubai, so getting there means the Dubai Metro plus a bus or taxi, or simply driving. Within Ajman you rely on buses, taxis and ride-hailing apps.
A taxi from Dubai International (DXB) to Ajman takes roughly 25 to 35 minutes outside rush hour and costs around AED 60 to 80, depending on traffic and where in Ajman you are headed. Allow more time and budget in peak-hour traffic.
Last updated May 2026. Routes, fares and timings change, so confirm with the RTA (Dubai) and Sharjah SRTA before you travel.
