DXBtoDOH

I fly for work all the time and never had to wait 30-40 minutes for a taxi. I usually land back in DXB anywhere from 8 to 10 PM and the queues are almost non-existent. I think my longest wait to date has been five minutes.

Once in taxi to JLT is under 30 minutes.

In the AM I'm usually at the airport no later than 7:30ish and never had issues with the traffic that early, coming from JLT direction.

There are now more and more flights leaving from DWC, especially the short local flights. It's pretty handy for the Marina.

mikewot

You are arriving just before the main deluge of inbound flights which is from around 10pm - 2am. This is when the airport suffers massive congestion.
Fly Dubai will begin even more flights from DWC around October this year. Once the terminal has been expanded Fly Dubai will move lock, stock and barrel to DWC (current plan). DWC is an easy airport to get to, unless you hit the green community roundabout at the wrong time (but that is being addressed). A neat little route if using SZR is to come off at dock gate 4 junction, nice off ramp crosses the SZR to the D57 (watch out for the speed camera on the bridge parapet). Then take the first right, 4 lanes each side of totally empty road, to the Al Mhaktoum Airport road. Alternatively take the 2 nd right, similarly empty road which brings you out after the municipality rubbish dump so you don't suffer the dreadful pong.

Millhouse

you're just missing the peak-hour. The worst has to be T2 on a Thursday night.

Kakawax

It's unlikely that I'll have a car for some time, apart from use of a pool car, so my searches are going to be focused within 5-10 minutes of metro stops.

Good info on congestion and peak times at the airport, cheers keep it coming

mikewot

You are severely limiting your areas. Perhaps JLT is your best bet.

jam25mack

Just get a cheeky hire car. Something newish but basic such as a Lancer, Yaris or Kia Rio will set you back less than 2,000 AED month. This is also a good idea as you acclimatise to the unique style of driving we have over here. I'd rather bump a hire car than my own.

scrubbedexpat141

You forgot the additional 30-40 minutes to get off SZR and into the marina.

Exactly this, rent a crappy Lancerghini for 3-6 months before investing.

Kakawax

A hire car is a possibility. I have use of a pool car if I need it and I'll be out of Dubai during the week, perhaps a weekend rental with a bit more bling.! If I can rely on the Metro to get around I'll be happy with that in the short term.

scrubbedexpat141

You can, short term. But you can also rely on cheap cabs.

Come summer, a 5-10 minute walk to the metro is something nobody wants to do before work.

mikewot

It is very reliable but you need to be within 5-10 minutes walk of a station unless you can manage further in 50 degree temperatures.
As I said before you are restricting yourself with a requirement to be that close to a metro and your small budget.

DXBtoDOH

It's doable in JLT and Marina in the lesser buildings. In the Marina he can also take the tram to the metro stop when it's hot.

I know a fair few in the Marina who happily exist without cars and use the metro/tram all the time (along with taxis).

I think some of the observations here are made by people who have never or rarely ever taken the metro or the tram and don't realise how efficient they can be. Or how a 10-15 minute walk in the early AM or late PM in the summer isn't quite that bad.

If mass redundancies happen in a few months' time the way people seem to be expecting, rents will surely finally nosedive and his 75,000 budget should be ample enough for a midrange building right in front of the metro stop.

scrubbedexpat141

Everyone's different.

I've walked home from metro in summer and it's 9 minutes. DIdn't care because got home sweaty and showered.

In the morning, I don't want to get hot and sweaty, then sit on busy metro trying to cool down, then walk the other end (7 mins) and arrive at work double sweaty. Just asking to be the stinky **** in the office.

That being said - I was going from Business Bay to JLT and back when car was in for service and it did make me think about binning the drive and enjoying a carefree bit of news / reading / relaxing time on the way home instead of the SZR car park fight.

Kakawax

I've done plenty of city living and getting about in the warm weather isn't a problem, tram, taxi and cycle journeys are far more enjoyable than stuck in traffic even with airco. The really hot weather needs a bit more consideration
of course.. but they got cold beer right

So whats the story with possible redundancies? What sector?
My line of work is futureproof luckily. Isn't this the kind of news that goes in cycles in Dubai, periodically hoping for a drop in rents? Would be nice, I could afford a balcony or maybe even a view

mikewot

Hhhhhmmmm. I am guessing you have never experienced 50 degrees. Think standing in a pizza oven.

DXBtoDOH

A pizza brick oven's optimal temperature is 425 degrees.

Yeah, it gets hot. But given the masses that cope it's doable. I suppose much of it will have to do with how fit you are. If you're large and heavy and/or older, you'll feel the effects of walking 15 minutes in the heat much more than a younger and more fit person.