Abu Dhabi has put 800 new taxis on the road for Zayed International Airport — 500 dedicated to airport jobs and 300 for the city that can backfill the rank when demand spikes.
The Integrated Transport Centre (Abu Dhabi Mobility), working with Abu Dhabi Airports, launched the service at a ceremony at the airport. Operator is Al Arabia Transportation Taxi Company. The official line calls it a mix of premium and standard vehicles; UAE media have labelled the airport allocation “luxury”.
Why the capital is stacking the rank
Zayed International handled a [record 32.5 million passengers in 2025](https://www.adairports.ae/en/pressrelease/2026/01/abu-dhabi-airports-closes-2025-with-record-traffic-as--zayed-international-emerges-as-emea) — up 12.8% year on year and the first time Abu Dhabi’s hub crossed 30 million. Abu Dhabi Airports says it was the fastest-growing mega-airport in Europe, the Middle East and Africa on those figures.
More bodies through arrivals means more kerb demand for taxis, hotel transfers and mid-city drops. ITC director general Dr Abdulla Hamad AlGhfeli said the ride from terminal to destination is part of the city’s first impression, and the new fleet is meant to match the terminal’s own arrival awards from Airports Council International.
Abu Dhabi Airports CEO Ahmed Juma Al Shamisi framed it the same way: keep the welcome going after the gate, not just inside the building.
How the 800 are split
According to the [ITC press release](https://www.zawya.com/en/press-release/government-news/the-integrated-transport-centre-launches-zayed-international-airport-taxi-services-with-a-fleet-of-800-vehicles-1522192):
- *500* vehicles locked to Zayed International Airport work
- *300* on Abu Dhabi city work, with a duty to reinforce the airport fleet in peaks and for big events
That dual pool matters. Pure airport fleets sit idle off-peak; city cars that can surge to the terminal are the usual Gulf answer when mega-events and holiday banks hit the same week.
Al Arabia general manager Mir Mazhar Ahmed said the company would run the fleet to ITC and airport standards on quality and safety.
Rail is the next piece — still on paper
Separately, Etihad Airways and Etihad Rail signed an MoU to study shuttles between Mohamed bin Zayed City passenger station and the airport, plus joint booking ideas. That is exploration, not a live timetable. Until rails and buses fill the gap, taxis remain the default last mile for most arrivals — which is why ITC is buying capacity now.
Why it matters for the trade
This is a franchise award, not a free-for-all: ITC tendered [concession rights](https://admobility.gov.ae/-/media/tender-documents/260108pcarspublic-tender-to-auction.pdf) for airport and city taxis on a five-year basis, with the 500/300 split written into the deal. For drivers and operators elsewhere, it is the familiar airport playbook — dedicated plates, a named franchisee, and surge capacity held in the city fleet.
For passengers, more cars at the rank should cut wait times after long-haul arrivals. For ITC, it is another brick in the emirate’s push to keep landside mobility matching a hub that is growing double-digit.