Sharjah Airport to Centre

Hi - I've got a stopover in Sharjah at the end of November and was wondering of the best/cheapest way to get from the airport into the centre. Is there a bus? If I need to get a taxi do you know approximately how much it would be?

Many thanks for your help.

Hi there
You won't find a bus - there aren't many in Sharjah - but a taxi is very easy from the airport (it's only a small airport). Taxis go from more or less outside where you come out from arrivals and it's a pretty orderly queue! It will cost a little more than a regular taxi because the airport ones have to add 20dh to the fare (you can only take airport taxis from the airport) - but anyway it will cost no more than 50dh I should think.

Don't ask to go to city centre however - as you might end up at the shopping mall called City Centre, which is not really that nice. You would probably find the heritage or arts areas most interesting (unless you have a specific place you want to go to).

Going back to the airport you can just flag a taxi down without too much hassle - beware the traffic can be horrendous at morning and evening rush hour on week days, so allow enough time to get back.

(I live in Sharjah so if you need to know anything else, I can probably help!)

Assuming yo live in Sharjah,
How long can it take a taxi from around Deira city Centre Mall to sharjah airport about 8 or 9 a.m. (weekday) ?
Price between 50 or 70 AED?

thanks

Hi there
Well at 8am it will be quite different to 9am...around Deira is always quite bad traffic - it could take about 1hr or more at 8am and a bit less at 9am. Best thing is to ask a driver - and if you are staying in a hotel, ask at reception because they will know better. As I live in Sharjah, I am always going in the other direction if I am travelling to Dubai early morning!

And yes, it will cost around 50-70 AED. The taxis now have to add 20AED to the fare if they are going from Dubai to Sharjah or for Sharjah taxis to go to Dubai. And remember, Sharjah taxis cannot pick up in Dubai and vice versa.

Travelling Dubai to Sharjah in the mornings is easy as all the traffic is going the other way. You should estimate 30 - 40 minutes from DCC to Sharjah Airport.

I not sure what you mean by this statement " Sharjah taxis cannot pick up in Dubai and vice versa".because I also live in sharjah and just took a taxi home from Dubai last night and since they added the 20 AED extra charge Taxi drives do not mind going to sharjah.I just passed by the Sharjah airport yesterday and right in front of my car was a orange and white public bus going to the sharjah airport,so I would ask at the info desk in the airport to get some info on this.

You could also try to save a little money and go to the Mirdif town center then get a taxi from Mirdif to Dubai,which might save you the extra 20 to Dubai,so ask the taxi driver how much the full cost would be to go to Mirdif and compare.

One of the best sigth seeing things in Sharjah is to the left of the airport The Breeding Centre for Endangered Arabian Wildlife which is just right down the highway very very close so look on their website.There is also a new aquarium in sharjah which I also hear is very nice.

Unless you have your heart set on Dira city center,I would past that up and either go to festival city [mall] which is easier to get to then DCC since you can stay on the 311 emirates highway and skip the traffic going to DCC or go to the Dubai Mall where you can do the same traffic wise and its huge,it has its own aquarium and musical fountain. .

I'm pretty sure the statement "Sharjah taxis cannot pick up in Dubai and vice versa" means that Sharjah taxis are legally not allowed to take passengers when they are in Dubai, and Dubai taxis are not legally allowed to take passengers when they are in Sharjah. Which happens to be the truth, and which has nothing to do with the 20 dirham surcharge.

I dont mean to be rude, but you keep advising people that they will save money if they take 2 taxis instead of one, and its just not true. The most expensive part of any taxi journey is the very first segment when they turn on the metre. Take two separate taxis, and you pay that segment twice - it just doesnt make any sense, and seems like very very bad advice.

Mirdif is actually part of the emirate of Dubai :)

No point taking 2 cabs to go anywhere...of course Sharjah taxis go to Dubai and of course Dubai taxis go to Sharjah! I think there has been some confusion.

As for buses - yes there are a few in Sharjah, but I have never met a single person who has ever taken one - they are few and far between (although routes are increasing) but they go a very, very long route in order to get anywhere. I wouldn't bother unless you're on a really tight budget or have loads of spare time.

The buses are largely used by workers and whilst you would be completely safe, if you are a woman, you would be stared at from the second you get on till you get off - this can be very intimidating and uncomfortable if you're not used to it.

What it sound like you are saying is that it will be hard to get a taxi
because they only pick-up go where they come from and what I am saying is
there are plenty on Taxis going either direction. so that will not be a problem.

My wife a blond woman took the bus all over the first time we were in
Dubai and did not have a problem being looked at, the poster wants a cheap
way to get around so that is it and it never hurts to find out info.
You don't know that the people will cause the poster to be uncomfortable and the bus I saw was very nice with nobody on it so why not ask at the airport. Maybe the poster wants to meet the
people who have built and are building this country and is not afraid of them.My wife and I have been on worker transportation around the world and have met some great people who are just trying to earn a living.

I know the initial charge of the taxi which I said a number of months ago since another poster told me the same thing you just told, but in the paper last winter or spring they were talking about the 20 AED surcharge added from the airport with another 20 AED surcharge to go from Dubai to Sharjah and visa versa. I had a friend that got off before Dubai and saved 20 of the 40,but maybe they changed that.
I feel the 20 AED from the airport is a rip off since you can get a taxi at 3.50 on the street so you have any ideas, because I like to travel someplace and not feel I have been ripped off as soon as I get off the plane.

Edited by: ctown

Today once again we just passed the nice looking empty orange and white bus and the front sign said airport bus 15 and its was over in University city,there are also signs heading toward and away from University city with the number 15 so ask at the airport about where else it goes.

Hi Everyone and many thanks for all your help with my original question. Just to let you know we came through Sharjah last Friday & Saturday (27 & 28 November - Eid). We were staying in Rolla Square (Al Sharq Hotel that we thought was great for the 57USD we paid for a double room through Hostel Bookers), took a taxi from the airport which only cost 40 Dirhams, perhaps because it was Eid? On the way back we took bus no 88 which stopped just outside the hotel and took us to the airport in about 25 minutes for 10 Dirhams each - again perhaps it was so quick because of the holiday?

Incidentally - I tried about 10 different ATMs in Sharjah without success with my UK Nationwide Visa card - I've used it all over the Middle East on this trip without trouble and it's now working in India - is this usual or was I just unlucky?

Thanks again