Sharjah and Abu Dhabi are two of the most culturally fascinating cities in the United Arab Emirates, but how easy is it to get between the two cities?

Sharjah to Abu Dhabi Distance
From the “Heart of Sharjah” to Abu Dhabi Bus Station is 165km.
There are three main freeways that run across much of the length of the country between Sharjah and Abu Dhabi; the E11, the E311 and E611. All run pretty much parallel to each other and can get fairly choked up with rush hour traffic. The E11 is the most direct but can be the busiest. – we always recommend to check the fastest route on Waze or Google Maps before you set out.
Sharjah to Abu Dhabi Bus
Intercity Bus Route 117 operates from Sharjah’s Al Jubail Bus Station to Abu Dhabi Bus Station.
It takes approximately 2.5 hours and makes two stops at Shahama and Jazirat Umm an Nar before arriving at Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station in Al Wadha.
The Sharjah to Abu Dhabi bus costs 25AED one way.
The first bus from Sharjah to Abu Dhabi is scheduled to leave at 04:30 am and the last bus leaves at 11:30 pm.
The other public transport alternative is to take a bus from Al Jubail Bus Station in Sharjah to Al Ghuibaba Bus Staion in Dubai where you can catch the Dubai to Abu Dhabi Intercity service

Sharjah to Abu Dhabi by private car
If you are self driving from Sharjah to Abu Dhabi, the journey takes approximately 1 hour 35 minutes depending on your ultimate destination. Traffic can be heavy through Sharjah and central Dubai, however, once you hit the E11 you can move at 140km down the freeway.
You can check out hire car options here:
Sharjah Airport to Abu Dhabi
There is no direct public transport route to Abu Dhabi from Sharjah Airport. You would need to transfer from Sharjah Airport to Al Jubail Bus Station in Sharjah, or to Al Ghuibaba Bus Station in Dubai where you can transfer to the Intercity Service.
Other transport methods from Sharjah to Abu Dhabi
There are no Metro/train or ferry alternatives at this point to get from Sharjah to Abu Dhabi.
Abu Dhabi to Sharjah
Looking to visit Sharjah from Abu Dhabi? A great cultural destination, it is easy to transit between the two cities either by public transport or private transport.

Abu Dhabi to Sharjah Bus
The Abu Dhabi to Sharjah Bus route 117 operated by SRTA runs every 30 minutes from Abu Dhabi Bus Station to Al Jubail Bus Station in Sharjah.
The journey takes 2 and a half hours.
Private transport options
If you are arriving in to Abu Dhabi airport you could:
- Hire an airport taxi to Sharjah
- Rent a car and self-drive to Sharjah
- Use a private airport transfer service from Abu Dhabi to Sharjah
More reading on the United Arab Emirates
For more inspiration, check out these handy guides to visiting the UAE
- Our complete guide of family fun things to do in Sharjah
- Abu Dhabi’s top FREE and really cheap things to do
- How to get from Dubai to Sharjah by bus, taxi, even boat!
- Desert adventures in the UAE
- Fun family things to do in Fujairah
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This post is correct at the time of publishing in December 2019 based on local UAE experience. Please check the RTA website for the most up to date Dubai transportation information. This page may contain affiliate links which earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Our full website terms and conditions can be found here.