Sharjah Airport

Sharjah International Airport is located a few kilometres east of the city of the same name, and is used by passengers from all over the world as an alternative low-cost stopover to reach Dubai: the city of Sharjah in fact begins exactly where Dubai ends, bordering the district of Deira.

The airport is only 15 km from Dubai, or a little more than 15 minutes by car, but this can turn into two hours (or even more) during peak hours: Sharjah is in fact the home of Dubai’s working class, and its inhabitants in the early morning and late afternoon hours crowd the streets to get to and from their jobs in Dubai.

There are also several major airlines that fly to Sharjah, attracted by providing an alternative to Dubai’s crowded airport. The terminal at Sharjah International Airport is modern and efficient. Inside, there is a duty free shop, a restaurant area, a medical clinic, a mosque, a smoking area and a lounge, as well as numerous shops and basic services such as telephone, currency exchange and ATMs.

Connections to and from Sharjah Airport

The connection betweenSharjah Airport and the city centre offers several options, as do the connections to Dubai. Road transport is the main option, with an average journey time of 15-20 minutes to the centre of Sharjah and 30-40 minutes to the centre of Dubai, depending on traffic conditions, which can be heavy at peak hours, especially on the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed road (E311) connecting the two emirates.

Buses

The public bus service is operated by the Sharjah Roads and Transport Authority (SRTA) and connects the airport with different parts of the city. The main line serving the airport is number 99, which runs from the arrivals terminal to Sharjah’s central bus station (Al Jubail Bus Station). The journey time is about 30 minutes.

To reach Dubai, there are several intercity bus options. The Dubai RTA’s E303 service directly connects Sharjah Airport with the Rashidiya Metro Station in Dubai, from where there is easy access to the metro network serving the whole of Dubai. The journey takes about 45-60 minutes and costs 15 dirhams (about 4 euro). In addition, from Sharjah Central Station, the E307 and E400 lines frequently connect Sharjah with various destinations in Dubai, including Deira City Centre and the Union Square metro station.

Taxis

Sharjah’s official taxis (recognisable by their orange and white colour scheme) are available 24 hours a day outside the arrivals terminal. The journey time to downtown Sharjah is about 15 minutes, while to Dubai it takes 30-40 minutes, depending on the specific destination and traffic.

A ride from the airport to central Sharjah costs on average 40-50 dirhams (10-13 euro), while reaching Dubai can cost 80-120 dirhams (20-30 euro). It is important to note that Sharjah taxis can take passengers to Dubai, but Dubai taxis cannot take the reverse route according to local regulations. For the return journey from Dubai to Sharjah, it is only necessary to use Dubai taxis as far as the border between the two emirates, where you can then either take a Sharjah taxi, or book a private transfer service.

Car hire

Car hire is a practical option for those who want more flexibility during their stay in the Emirates, especially for those who plan to travel frequently between Sharjah and Dubai. There are several international (Hertz, Avis, Budget, Thrifty) and local (Fast Rent A Car, Diamondlease) companies at the airport.

The travel time to the centre of Sharjah is about 15 minutes, while it takes 30-40 minutes to reach Dubai. The main arteries connecting Sharjah to Dubai are the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road (E311) and the Emirates Road (E611), both of which are tolled through the Salik system (4 dirhams per passage). The road network is excellent, but it is important to consider that traffic between Sharjah and Dubai can be very heavy during the morning rush hour (7am-9.30am) in the direction of Dubai and in the evening (5pm-8pm) in the direction of Sharjah.

To rent a car in Dubai we always recommend comparing the rates of all companies with DiscoverCars because in our opinion it offers the best prices, allows cancellation up to 48 hours before rental and offers a very cheap comprehensive insurance policy.

The evolution of the airport

Sharjah Airport was built in the 1970s. Operations began on 1 January 1977 and its importance grew especially from the 1990s, when it was used by the US Air Force as a base for attacks during the Gulf War.

Today, the airport is only used for civil aviation, its runway measures over 4 km and it is the hub of Air Arabia, a low-cost airline that flies to Sharjah from numerous Asian, European and North African countries; however, there are no direct flights from Italy to Sharjah, making it a secondary airport in the economy of travel between Italy and the UAE, although it has reached the remarkable quota of 12 million international transit passengers annually.

Arrivals and Departures

Recommended hotels

Below is a list of recommended hotels near Sharjah Airport.