boroexile

Hi, I've been offered a job and move out to the UAE on the 1st of next month. I'm going to work at Dubai airport and a mate of mine says I'd be as well off moving to Sharjah as its not far from there. Trouble is I've read on the forums here that the traffic can be a nightmare when commuting! I would be working shifts so I would only catch the rush hour(s) here and there but could anyone give me an estimate for time for
a)rush hour
b)normal (if there is such a thing)

Many thanks in advance.

Bijilo123

Depends where in Sharjah but it could be an hour and a half to two - particularly with the roadworks.

Try staying in Al Qusais - it is still reasonable and close to DXB.

edit - Qusais is in Dubai near to the Airport.


Good luck with the job tho.

jvr20

it doesn't really depend a great deal where you live in Sharjah, as the bulk of the hold-up is only on the main road (al-Ittihad Rd) once you're almost at the border.

I live in central Sharjah (Corniche area) - it is only 16 km to DXB terminal 1... I can do it in 20 minutes on a Friday morning.

Without a car, I leave 3.5 hours to get there on a weeekday evening (when I had a flight to catch last time, and wanted to be at the airport at 10pm, i left at 6:30, waited 45 mins for a cab which woudl agree to take me to Sharjah Fish Market, boarded a bus headed for Deira (had to wait as the queue was massive and the first 2 buses were full), got off near Fish Roundabout and then got on a city bus towards Rashidiya, which stops off on Airport Rd, the other side, and then walked over the bridge. - great fun but it took longer to get there than my actual flight time (3 hours 15 mins to Delhi)

Of course if you're driving it's less of a hassle, though you will have to deal with the manaical driving and rush hour traffic is not fun on that stretch.

boroexile

Thanks very much for your quick answers.

From what I understand, I'll be working a shift pattern 6am-2pm, 2pm-10pm and then 10pm-6am (not all on the same day I hope ). Hopefully that should keep me away from the rush hours. I couldn't quite get an idea of the distance involved from central Sharjah to DXB from the maps I was looking at so 16kms seems reasonable even if traffic is slow.

I get some time in a hotel when I get there so I'll have a good scout around Sharjah and the Al Qusais area of Dubai. I'm not really much of a drinker any more so Sharjah seems ideal, I know a couple of people in Dubai in company accomodation who can put me up for the odd nights socialising As long as I can get a shawarma kebab I'll be a happy man.

Thanks again for your replies.

Confucius

Just to be on the safe side, allow 90 mins to get there...You should arrive even before...

boroexile

Thanks Confucius, just to clarify, is that at rush hour or at all times?

The Dean

Sharjah has its own airport.

Why not fly to Dubai from there? You'll beat the traffic jams..........

soukie

You obviously don't live in Dubai.

The Dean

You obviously thought I was being serious...........

Blue Cat

obviously

boroexile

I did think about that BUT:
then you've got check in times, delays for weather (or possibly lack of it) and I always end up buying loads of cr*p at the airport shops when I get bored. I'd probably end up about 4 hours and 700 dirhams a day down .

So that looks like road and air out, anyone know anything about camel hire? it can't be that far in a straight line....

Blue Cat

speedboat

boroexile

Great idea in theory but wouldn't the camel fall out ?????

Bijilo123

Aha, most people keep a camel at either end of the speedboat journey.

Bijilo123

I think he meant fly on the broomstick.