How to get from Dubai to Yas Island for free
Yas Express is a free shuttle bus from Dubai to Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. It is run by Miral, the company behind the island's theme parks. Five routes leave from Dubai, and at least one of them runs every day of the week. The bus picks guests up at hotels in Al Barsha, Dubai Marina, JBR, Sheikh Zayed Road and Deira City Centre in the morning. It reaches the first park in about an hour and a half and brings you back in the evening. All you need is a ticket for one of the island's parks.
The timetable below comes from the official Yas Express booklet, which we checked on 30 October 2026. The booklet gives bus arrival times at each stop. Treat them as approximate: Miral can change them without notice.
At a glance
- Price: free. You show your park ticket or booking when you board.
- Stops on Yas: Yas Waterworld (also the stop for Warner Bros. World), SeaWorld Abu Dhabi and Ferrari World Abu Dhabi.
- Dubai routes: D1, D2, D3, D4 and D5, each with one trip out and one trip back.
- Journey time: about 1 h 30 min from the last pick-up hotel to the first park (about 1 h 45 min on D3; about 2 h from D4's first hotel).
- Seat booking: not needed. Seats go first come, first served, so arrive early.
Who can ride for free
Under the booklet's terms, you can ride if you hold a valid ticket or booking for a qualifying destination. These are any Yas Island theme park, Al Ain Zoo, or a hotel on the island: The WB Abu Dhabi, W Abu Dhabi, Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island, DoubleTree by Hilton or the Yas Plaza hotels. The ticket covers the trip there and back on the day of your visit, and you show it when you board.
Without a ticket you will not be allowed on. You can buy one in advance or, where there is one, from a shuttle agent at the stop. Buying ahead and keeping the ticket on your phone is the safer option.
Dubai routes: hotels and times
Tap a route code to open it on our site, with every hotel, the times and a "Send via WhatsApp" button.
| Route | Days | Pick-up: hotel and time | Arrives at the parks | Leaves the parks | Back at the hotel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D1 | Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun | Mercure Dubai Barsha Heights 09:20 | Waterworld 10:50 · SeaWorld 11:00 · Ferrari World 11:10 | Waterworld 19:40 · SeaWorld 19:50 · Ferrari World 20:00 | Mercure Dubai Barsha Heights 21:30 |
| D2 | Tue, Thu, Sat | Millennium Place Marina 09:20 | Waterworld 10:50 · SeaWorld 11:00 · Ferrari World 11:10 | Waterworld 19:40 · SeaWorld 19:50 · Ferrari World 20:00 | Millennium Place Marina 21:30 |
| D3 | Thu, Fri | Deira City Center by Colors Café 11:00 | SeaWorld 12:45 · Ferrari World 12:55 · Waterworld 13:05 | Waterworld 19:40 · Ferrari World 19:50 · SeaWorld 20:00 | Deira City Center by Colors Café 21:45 |
| D4 | Sun | The H Hotel Sheikh Zayed 09:30 · Sheraton Grand Hotel Sheikh Zayed 09:40 · Conrad Dubai Sheikh Zayed 09:50 · Millennium Plaza Downtown Sheikh Zayed 10:00 | SeaWorld 11:30 · Ferrari World 11:40 · Waterworld 11:50 | Waterworld 19:40 · SeaWorld 19:50 · Ferrari World 20:00 | The H Hotel Sheikh Zayed 21:30 · Sheraton Grand Hotel Sheikh Zayed 21:40 · Conrad Dubai Sheikh Zayed 21:50 · Millennium Plaza Downtown Sheikh Zayed 22:00 |
| D5 | Sat | JA Ocean View Hotel JBR 11:00 · DoubleTree by Hilton JBR 11:10 | Ferrari World 12:40 · SeaWorld 12:50 · Waterworld 13:00 | Ferrari World 19:40 · SeaWorld 19:50 · Waterworld 20:00 | JA Ocean View Hotel JBR 21:30 · DoubleTree by Hilton JBR 21:40 |
"Waterworld" is the Yas Waterworld stop, which also serves Warner Bros. World. "SeaWorld" is SeaWorld Abu Dhabi. "Ferrari World" is Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, which some routes list together with Yas Mall and CLYMB.
Which route runs on which day
- Monday: D1 (Al Barsha)
- Tuesday: D2 (Dubai Marina)
- Wednesday: D1 (Al Barsha)
- Thursday: D2 (Dubai Marina) and D3 (Deira City Centre)
- Friday: D1 (Al Barsha) and D3 (Deira City Centre)
- Saturday: D2 (Dubai Marina) and D5 (JBR)
- Sunday: D1 (Al Barsha) and D4 (Sheikh Zayed Road)
To see every route for your date, open the Dubai timetable.
How long you get in the parks
On D1 and D2 the bus reaches the parks at 10:50–11:10 and picks up again at 19:40–20:00. That gives you almost nine hours on the island, enough for one big park and sometimes two neighbouring ones. D3 and D5 arrive later, at 12:40–13:05, so you get less time. Buses are back in Dubai at 21:30–22:00.
Park opening hours change with the season. Check your park's official website for your date, especially if it closes before your bus leaves.
If your hotel is not on the list
The bus only stops at the hotels in the table. The booklet's terms ask for a ticket or booking and say nothing about staying at the pick-up hotel. So, as we read them, you can take a taxi or the Metro to the nearest pick-up hotel. If no route runs on your day, you have two more options:
- the Etihad Rail train to Abu Dhabi, then the free ER1 bus from the station to Yas Mall. See Etihad Rail and the free bus to Yas;
- a private transfer from your own hotel at a time that suits you (see below).
Tips for a smooth trip
- Be at the pick-up hotel 10–15 minutes early. The times are bus arrival times, and seats are first come, first served.
- Look for the Yas Express signs at the hotel.
- Eating on board is strictly prohibited, so have a snack before you go.
- Luggage has size and weight limits. For luggage questions, call the official number +971 600 51 1115.
- The day before, check the timetable on yasisland.com or in the Yas Island app, because routes can change without notice.
FAQ
Is the Yas Express bus from Dubai really free?
Yes. The booklet calls it a free shuttle for Yas Island guests. You only need to show a park ticket or a Yas Island hotel booking when you board.
Where does the bus to Yas leave from in Dubai?
It leaves from Mercure Dubai Barsha Heights (D1), Millennium Place Marina (D2), Deira City Center by Colors Café (D3), four hotels on Sheikh Zayed Road (D4), and JA Ocean View Hotel and DoubleTree by Hilton in JBR (D5). The table above shows the days and times.
How long is the bus ride from Dubai to Ferrari World?
About an hour and a half to the first park. From Al Barsha and Dubai Marina the bus leaves at 09:20 and reaches Yas Waterworld at 10:50 and Ferrari World at 11:10.
Do I need to book a seat?
No. There is no seat booking and seats go first come, first served, so arrive early at weekends.
What time does the bus go back to Dubai?
Usually from the parks at 19:40–20:00, arriving in Dubai at 21:30–22:00. The table above has the exact times for each route.
What if the bus has left or is full?
The booklet's terms do not guarantee a seat. Your backup is a taxi or a private transfer. Message us on WhatsApp and we will help.
Tickets below box-office prices and private transfers
VIP DXB RUS sells Yas Island park tickets for less than the box office. If the bus doesn't fit your day or time, we can arrange a private transfer from your hotel in Dubai.
- WhatsApp: +971 55 309 69 85
- Phone: +971 56 590 69 11
- Instagram: @vip_dxb_rus
For every route by day, see shuttle.vipdxbrus.com. The full timetable is in Yas Express timetable 2026.
Source: the official "Yas Express Bus Time Schedule" booklet (the "View timetable" link on yasisland.com/en/directions), checked 30 Oct 2026. Yas Express is a Miral Destinations service operated by Massar Solutions. VIP DXB RUS does not run the shuttle.