Abu Dhabi's Integrated Transport Centre, working with Abu Dhabi Airports, has expanded the emirate's taxi fleet by 1,100 vehicles in a push to smooth journeys for both air travellers and city residents. Of the new cars, 800 are assigned directly to Zayed International Airport: 500 are premium taxis reserved for airport passengers, while another 300 supplement the existing airport fleet. The remaining 300 vehicles have been released into Abu Dhabi's wider city network.
Officials said the goal is to improve taxi availability at the airport and give passengers an easier onward journey once they land. The expansion specifically targets peak demand periods, when long taxi queues at the terminals have long been a common complaint among travellers. Authorities described the move as giving passengers "more transport options" to match the steady rise in traffic through Zayed International.
The airport has seen notable growth in flight and passenger numbers in recent years, and this fleet expansion is part of a broader Abu Dhabi effort to align ground transport capacity with that growth. The boost to the general city taxi network is expected to shorten waiting times for residents and tourists in busy parts of town as well, not just those arriving by air.
The move fits into Abu Dhabi's continuing investment in transport infrastructure, alongside projects such as rail network expansion and improved road links between Emirates cities. For anyone who has recently passed through Zayed International, or has a trip planned in the coming days, the larger fleet should translate into a shorter wait for a cab both at the terminal and around the city.