archie159

A quick question, I hope...
We'll be using DXB T2 for our first time next Tuesday, and the "Car Park B - Economy" seems to be reasonable value for a week's parking compared to taxis to and from Abu Dhabi (70AED first day, then 50AED per day). But I don't want to get there and find it is full.
Does anyone know how big it is, and if there is any risk (this is peak time, after all) that it'll have no spaces?
thanks.

archie159

Anyone...? Has no-one ever parked there?!

carcajou

I have parked there, but not recently (2014).

If full, you can also park at the other terminals and take a taxi to Terminal 2, it's about 50 AED if I remember, but again that isn't recent.

If you have a lease car from one of the hire companies, you can leave it with them for no charge other than an administration fee (something like 20 AED).

I don't remember the taxis from Abu Dhabi being all that expensive; I've taken a taxi from Dubai airport, further than that and it was quite reasonable.

carcajou

PS I remember when Terminal 2 was a glorified bus station, with just a petrol-station style coffee machine, one cart selling donuts, and nothing else except a lot of people sitting on suitcases. They've done a great job on the renovations.

archie159

Thanks. Yes, you are correct about taxis from AD not being that expensive - but for several reasons using our car will be a lot more convenient this time around, and for 7 days the parking should also be a bit less than a return taxi trip, as long as we can indeed get into that car-park! If we turn up and find it is full it'll be a real pain...

carcajou

I think it will be fine. If you're that concerned - call Dubai Airport's information number and ask them. If you don't trust the answer, roll down there yourself after work (it will make a late night, I know) and ask the attendants.

I really don't imagine they would have built a carpark with too little capacity there. They really take the smooth operation of the airport seriously.

archie159

"rolling down after work" is a bit of a trek, when one lives in Abu Dhabi...! But thanks, I am also hoping they'd build such things with sufficient capacity - but having lived here over 7 years now, I know that assuming anything like that can be foolish. And I've never used that terminal before (and only once used one of the others), so really have no idea what it is like.

DXBtoDOH

It's called the terror terminal because so many of the flights are for places in Afghanistan and Iraq and Yemen. FlyDubai flies out of T-2 as well.

It's very basic. More like a third world airport with hordes of men in pyjamas and the bathrooms are filthy because of water everywhere. But it's fairly easy to check in and go through security and also fairly quick to get out once landed.

I do recall parking facilities but these were ground level parking to the front of the airport. Have no idea how full they can be.

If I were you I'd tally up the cost of parking + petrol and compare that to a taxi trip. How much is the differential? Is it really worth saving the extra money?

carcajou

I know it's a hike from AD and certainly your skepticism about planning is justified (my own saying in the region was, "should do" and "will do" are two completely different things). That's why I put in my post that they take the airport seriously. It's different from the way the rest of the things run.

Good luck, and hope things work out for you.

Miss Ann Thrope

When was the last time you were in it? It's seriously improved in the last two years and in general I find it a lot less faffy to use than the EK terminal - no ridiculously long walks nor having to fight your way through kiosk-cluttered passageways clogged with gormless connecting passengers wandering around in a daze.

Also, the destination-bias now leans heavily to former USSR destinations so, while there is still an undeniable Peshwari flavor, the dominant feel is more Russki than musky...

DXBtoDOH

About two years ago, come to think of it. I did like it for the short walks and easy in/easy out. Glad to see the scent has improved!

scrubbedexpat141

Arguably worse.

archie159

Feedback, for what it is worth (in case it helps someone in the future?)...

There were parking spaces at both the T2 car parks, including the "Economy Parking" which was the one we wanted. It is not a huge car park, and there were quite a few cars parked down the middle of the lanes also, but there were also proper bays available. Though the website says it is a 10-12 minute walk to the terminal, you'd have to be seriously disabled to take that long - took me about 3-4 minutes. 400aed for 8 days, a lot cheaper than a return taxi from AD, and also a lot more convenient to have our own car with us (a family with plenty of luggage, no hassle about whether the taxi would be big enough/arrive on time, ability to detour off-route on our way home etc).

The terminal is also fine - the only queue we encountered was at baggage drop, where they had seriously messed up the desk-manning (we would have been through in a third of the time if we hadn't bothered checking in online in advance). Perfectly decent terminal inside - better than many (most?) in the UK.

carcajou

Thanks for the follow-up - glad it worked out. I would bet a fair few of the cars you saw were abandoned.

Irishbeekeeper

wait till its June July...THEN it would be fun!