It is easy to get around MZ without a car. The school provides a bus that transports faculty to and from the housing complexes with a short stop at the mall every afternoon on the way home. There is a comprehensive bus system and taxis are inexpensive and can be contacted easily.
Large passenger buses travel between MZ and the main city of Abu Dhabi 3 times daily. The fare is about $2 for that trip. Smaller mini-van type taxis also shuttle more frequently than the large buses between MZ and Abu Dhabi. Fare for a one-way trip to Abu Dhabi is 15 AED, which equals $4.09. The shuttle taxi drops you off at the main taxi station in Abu Dhabi from where you can take connecting buses or city taxis to all destinations within the city. Taxis are regulated by the government so fares are set and non-negotiable, however taxis are cheap compared to those in western metropolitan areas and preferable to having to figure out the bus routes. If you master the bus routes, however, nothing is cheaper than the buses. Rental cars are available but faculty must get their Emirates ID and Abu Dhabi driver's license prior to being able to rent a car and that takes at least a month. Abu Dhabi has reciprocal agreements with most western countries, allowing westerners to just show their foreign driving licenses and thus qualify to receive an Abu Dhabi license without taking any kind of driving or written test. Although lots of people complain about the traffic and driving in Abu Dhabi, that is relative. For a big city, I find it quite subdued and well-managed, although parking is not easy to find. If you've ever driven New York City, the LA freeways, Cairo or Beirut, just to name a few, then driving in Abu Dhabi will look like child's play to you.
Cars are available for purchase and banks finance easily, with low rates. However, they will not finance for longer than your contract runs, which is 3 years.
A number of Glenelg teachers already have a car, also, and most are more than happy to accommodate passengers who want to share the gas. As you would expect, gas is cheap here so driving back and forth to the main city of Abu Dhabi is not a financial concern. I have a 2011 Toyota Corrolla and a full tank of gas costs $19.
(pics of transportation options here)
Large passenger buses travel between MZ and the main city of Abu Dhabi 3 times daily. The fare is about $2 for that trip. Smaller mini-van type taxis also shuttle more frequently than the large buses between MZ and Abu Dhabi. Fare for a one-way trip to Abu Dhabi is 15 AED, which equals $4.09. The shuttle taxi drops you off at the main taxi station in Abu Dhabi from where you can take connecting buses or city taxis to all destinations within the city. Taxis are regulated by the government so fares are set and non-negotiable, however taxis are cheap compared to those in western metropolitan areas and preferable to having to figure out the bus routes. If you master the bus routes, however, nothing is cheaper than the buses. Rental cars are available but faculty must get their Emirates ID and Abu Dhabi driver's license prior to being able to rent a car and that takes at least a month. Abu Dhabi has reciprocal agreements with most western countries, allowing westerners to just show their foreign driving licenses and thus qualify to receive an Abu Dhabi license without taking any kind of driving or written test. Although lots of people complain about the traffic and driving in Abu Dhabi, that is relative. For a big city, I find it quite subdued and well-managed, although parking is not easy to find. If you've ever driven New York City, the LA freeways, Cairo or Beirut, just to name a few, then driving in Abu Dhabi will look like child's play to you.
Cars are available for purchase and banks finance easily, with low rates. However, they will not finance for longer than your contract runs, which is 3 years.
A number of Glenelg teachers already have a car, also, and most are more than happy to accommodate passengers who want to share the gas. As you would expect, gas is cheap here so driving back and forth to the main city of Abu Dhabi is not a financial concern. I have a 2011 Toyota Corrolla and a full tank of gas costs $19.
(pics of transportation options here)
That sounds fantastic. It is easy to take a ride around the city there than in US.
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hi laura im from Alrwis, do you think of moving out of western region ever ?
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