Etihad Bus Station is the name most people use for the bus stops at Etihad Plaza in Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi — the campus that houses Etihad Airways’ headquarters, a few minutes from Zayed International Airport. Set expectations before you go: this is not a terminal building. There is no station hall, no ticket office and no departure board — just a pair of kerbside Abu Dhabi Mobility stops on Street 5, signed “St 5 / Etihad Plaza” and “St 5 / Etihad Airways Office” in the Darbi app. Two routes use them: the 162, linking the plaza with Abu Dhabi city centre in one direction and the airport in the other, and the 218, a suburban service between Al Raha Mall and Al Shahama.
This guide covers exactly what runs from here, the timings pattern, the Hafilat fares, and how to reach the stops. It also clears up the name traps that catch people out: the Etihad Coach (the airline’s free passenger coach to Dubai and Al Ain) does not pick up here, the Etihad Rail station is over in Mohammed Bin Zayed City near Mussafah, and neither the Abu Dhabi Express nor the Capital Express Dubai coaches board at Etihad Plaza — a section below says where each of those actually leaves from.
| Etihad Bus Station — Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Location | Etihad Plaza, Street 5, Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi — in front of the Etihad Airways headquarters campus |
| What it is | A pair of kerbside bus stops (“St 5 / Etihad Plaza” and “St 5 / Etihad Airways Office”) — not a terminal; no ticket office |
| Operator | Abu Dhabi Mobility (formerly the Integrated Transport Centre, ITC) |
| Bus routes | 162 to Abu Dhabi city (Khalifa Street) and Zayed International Airport · 218 to Al Raha Mall and Al Shahama |
| Payment | Hafilat card only on both routes — no cash, and Dubai’s Nol card is NOT accepted |
| First bus | 162 at about 5:26 AM; roughly every 2 hours — check Darbi before you travel |
| Distance to the airport | A few kilometres — about 10 minutes by taxi; on the 162 it is the short final leg of the route |
| Distance to Abu Dhabi city | About 30 km — over an hour on the 162; nearest full stations: MBZ City Bus Station (Mussafah) and Abu Dhabi Central |
| Help | Abu Dhabi Mobility support 800 850 · Darbi app for live times |
Routes from Etihad Bus Station
162: the city and airport bus
162 is the route that makes Etihad Plaza work. It runs the full length of Abu Dhabi’s airport corridor: from Sultan Bin Zayed Street / Khalifa Street in Al Danah, in the city centre, out through the suburbs and Khalifa City, past Etihad Plaza, and on to Zayed International Airport — the terminus is still signed “Terminal 1” in journey planners. The route has 52–53 stops and takes roughly 85 minutes end to end, with Etihad Plaza near the airport end: towards the airport, a short hop of a few stops; towards the city, settle in for over an hour.
The catch is frequency. The 162 runs only about every 2 hours, so this is a bus you plan around, not one you turn up for. On the Saturday pattern published in journey planners, city-bound buses leave Etihad Plaza at 5:27 AM, then roughly every 2 hours until 9:18 PM; airport-bound buses run later, with the last 162 past the plaza at around 12:32 AM. Weekday patterns differ slightly — always confirm your departure in the Darbi app on the day. Miss one, and a taxi is the realistic fallback: about 10 minutes to the airport, roughly 30–40 minutes to the city outside the peak.
218: the Al Raha and Al Shahama link
The second route at the plaza is the 218, a suburban service between Channel Street / Al Raha Mall and Street 10 / Abattoir in Al Shahama — 71 stops, about 99 minutes end to end. From Etihad Plaza, one direction is the short hop to Al Raha Mall and Al Raha Beach; the other runs out through Deerfields Townsquare and Emirates Park Zoo to Al Shahama. It also runs roughly every 2 hours, in the daytime only — about 5:15 AM to 9:00 PM. A residents’ route, but the direct Khalifa City–Al Shahama link, with no detour through the city.
More buses near Etihad Plaza
Two more options sit nearby: the 240 (Al Rahba Hospital ↔ LifeCare Hospital) runs along the Airport Road side of Khalifa City, its nearest stop — “Stop 16802” — about a 12-minute walk away; and Abu Dhabi Link, the bus-on-demand service, covers zones including Khalifa City, booked in its app and paid by Hafilat.
Etihad Bus Station Timings
There is no station timetable — each route keeps its own schedule, and both are sparse. The first bus is the 162 at about 5:26 AM, timed for the plaza’s office day and the airport’s morning flights. City-bound 162s then run roughly every 2 hours until 9:18 PM; airport-bound buses continue to around 12:32 AM. The 218 finishes in the early evening, and overnight there is nothing — after the last 162, a taxi (600 535353 or the Abu Dhabi Taxi app) is the only way in or out. Friday and holiday patterns differ, so treat these times as a pattern to confirm in Darbi, not a promise.
How to Reach Etihad Bus Station
By bus: the 162 and 218 use St 5 / Etihad Plaza and its companion stop, St 5 / Etihad Airways Office, 5 minutes apart — check which one your direction uses in Darbi. From the city, ride the 162 out from the Khalifa Street / Sultan Bin Zayed Street stops in Al Danah; from Al Raha or Al Shahama, take the 218.
From Zayed International Airport: a taxi takes about 10 minutes and is what most arriving passengers with luggage use. The 162 towards Khalifa Street also stops at Etihad Plaza on its way out of the airport — but with a bus only every 2 hours or so, check the time before you commit to waiting.
By taxi or car: drivers know it as “Etihad Plaza, Khalifa City”, and the plaza has its own parking for staff and visitors. From the city, follow Airport Road (E20) towards the airport and exit for Khalifa City. Peak-hour traffic on Airport Road is heavy, so build in a buffer if you are catching one of the infrequent buses.
Facilities and Tickets
Keep expectations at kerbside level: the stops have the standard Abu Dhabi Mobility pole, signage and shelter, and that is largely it. There is no ticket office, no Hafilat sales point and no staffed help desk at Etihad Plaza — the plaza’s own cafés and services belong to the Etihad campus, not the bus network. Sort your Hafilat card out before you arrive: cards are sold and topped up at the main stations, at the airport, and at partner shops such as Lulu and SPAR. If you need a staffed transport office, the nearest full facilities are at Mussafah Bus Station (MBZ City Bus Station, by the Shabiya districts) or at Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station. Abu Dhabi Mobility states that its buses are equipped for wheelchair users; the 800 850 line can confirm boarding arrangements.
Paying at Etihad Bus Station: Hafilat Only
Both routes are standard Abu Dhabi Mobility buses, so payment works as it does everywhere else in the emirate: Hafilat card only. Cash is not accepted on board, and Dubai’s Nol card does not work here. An anonymous Hafilat card costs AED 10 and lasts five years. Fares are distance-based — AED 2 boarding plus 5 fils per kilometre, capped at AED 5 for journeys over 60 km — putting the airport ride at roughly AED 2–3 and the city ride at roughly AED 3–4. Tap in when you board and tap out when you leave: the fare is calculated on tap-out, and forgetting charges you the maximum. Transfers within 60 minutes of tapping out waive the second boarding fee, and children aged 10 and below travel free.
Not from Here: Express and Dubai Coaches
Because of the name, Etihad Plaza attracts passengers looking for services that actually leave from somewhere else. Three to be clear about:
Abu Dhabi Express. Abu Dhabi Mobility’s non-stop suburb-to-city shuttles do serve Khalifa City — but the official pick-up point is Safeer Mall in Khalifa City (service E-04 in the Abu Dhabi Express network), not Etihad Plaza. The express runs non-stop to Abu Dhabi’s main bus station, takes cash fares in the AED 10–12 range, and is far more frequent than the 162. Confirm the current pick-up and times in Darbi, as express routes change.
Capital Express to Dubai. The private Capital Express coaches between Dubai and Abu Dhabi — CX01 from Al Quoz and CX02 from Ibn Battuta — terminate at MBZ City Bus Station in Mussafah. They do not come to Etihad Plaza, and no Dubai coach boards here. For Dubai, ride the 162 into the city and change at Abu Dhabi Central for the E100/E101, or head to Mussafah for the E102 and Capital Express — every option is compared in our Dubai to Abu Dhabi bus guide.
Etihad’s own coaches and trains. The free Etihad Coach is a flight add-on for Etihad Airways passengers only: it links Zayed International Airport with the Al Wasl Centre in Dubai and the Morafiq facility in Al Ain, is booked with your flight at least 24 hours ahead, and never calls at Etihad Plaza. And Etihad Rail’s Abu Dhabi station is Mohammed Bin Zayed City Station, opposite Dalma Mall in Mussafah — a different “Etihad station” altogether.
Tips for Using Etihad Bus Station
- Plan around the 2-hour gaps: both the 162 and 218 run roughly every 2 hours. Check your bus in Darbi and time your arrival at the stop — an hour’s wait in the Khalifa City heat is the mistake this guide exists to prevent.
- Arrive with a topped-up Hafilat card: there is nowhere at the plaza to buy or top up a card, cash is not accepted on board, and your Dubai Nol card is useless here. Sort the card at the airport or a main station first.
- Use the right stop of the pair: “St 5 / Etihad Plaza” and “St 5 / Etihad Airways Office” are 5 minutes apart and serve different directions — confirm yours in Darbi.
- The airport leg is the easy win: if the 162’s timing lines up, it is the cheapest airport ride in the city from here; if not, a taxi is only about 10 minutes.
- For the city, weigh the express: if your timing is tight, the Abu Dhabi Express from Safeer Mall — a short taxi ride away — is non-stop and far more frequent than the 162.
- Do not wait here for a Dubai coach: neither Capital Express nor any RTA intercity bus serves Etihad Plaza. Dubai buses leave from Abu Dhabi Central (E100, E101) and MBZ City Bus Station (E102, CX01, CX02).
Where is Etihad Bus Station located?
At Etihad Plaza on Street 5 in Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi — the campus that houses Etihad Airways’ headquarters, between Zayed International Airport and the city. In Darbi the stops are named “St 5 / Etihad Plaza” and “St 5 / Etihad Airways Office”.
Is Etihad Bus Station a proper bus terminal?
No. Despite the name people search for, there is no terminal building at Etihad Plaza — just a pair of kerbside Abu Dhabi Mobility bus stops. There is no ticket office or waiting hall; the nearest real stations are MBZ City Bus Station in Mussafah and Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station.
Which buses stop at Etihad Plaza?
Two Abu Dhabi Mobility routes: the 162, between Khalifa Street in the city centre and Zayed International Airport, and the 218, between Al Raha Mall and Al Shahama. Both run roughly every 2 hours and are paid by Hafilat card. The 240 passes along Airport Road, about a 12-minute walk away.
How do I get from Etihad Bus Station to Zayed International Airport?
Take the 162 towards the airport (the terminus is signed “Terminal 1” in journey planners) — Etihad Plaza is near the end of the route, so it is a short ride costing roughly AED 2–3 on a Hafilat card. Buses run only about every 2 hours, though; a taxi takes about 10 minutes and is the safer choice for a flight.
How do I get from Etihad Plaza to Abu Dhabi city centre?
The 162 towards Khalifa Street runs from the plaza to Sultan Bin Zayed Street / Khalifa Street in Al Danah. Allow over an hour — the full route takes about 85 minutes — and roughly AED 3–4 on your Hafilat card. For a faster trip, take a short taxi to Safeer Mall and catch the non-stop Abu Dhabi Express into the main bus station.
Is there a bus from Etihad Bus Station to Dubai?
No. No intercity coach serves Etihad Plaza — Capital Express (CX01, CX02) and the RTA E102 use MBZ City Bus Station in Mussafah, and the E100 and E101 leave from Abu Dhabi Central. Ride the 162 into the city and change there.
Can I pay cash or use a Nol card at Etihad Bus Station?
Neither. The 162 and 218 accept the Hafilat card only — cash is not taken on board, and Dubai’s Nol card does not work anywhere in Abu Dhabi. An anonymous Hafilat card costs AED 10; buy one at the airport or a main station before you come, as there is no sales point at the stops.
What time is the first and last bus from Etihad Plaza?
The first bus of the day is the 162 at about 5:26 AM. City-bound 162s leave roughly every 2 hours until 9:18 PM, and airport-bound buses run later, the last past the plaza at around 12:32 AM. The 218 finishes in the early evening. Check Darbi, as times vary by day.
Related Routes
- Mussafah Bus Station Abu Dhabi: Routes & Timings
- Shabiya Bus Station Abu Dhabi: Routes & Timings
- Dubai to Abu Dhabi Bus — all routes compared
Daniyal Sheikh
Transport Editor, UAE Travel Hub
Dubai daily commuter covering the Metro, Nol cards, RTA buses and intercity routes across all seven emirates — every fare and timing checked against official RTA, ITC and SRTA sources.