If you travel with Etihad Airways, you’ll have a layover in Abu Dhabi. While the airline offers “transit experiences” for longer stays, most people would say that a three-hour layover is too short to leave the airport. However, I slightly disagree with this statement.
Last summer, I traveled from Germany to Hong Kong via Belgrade and Abu Dhabi. While my 24-hour layover in Belgrade certainly gave me plenty of time to explore the city, my Abu Dhabi layover was only three hours long and seemed too short to do anything. However, since it was my first time ever in one of the gulf states, I really wanted to leave the airport at least for a short time and see something of the country.
Looking at the map, I found one major attraction that wasn’t too far from the airport. It was none other than the majestic Grand Mosque of Abu Dhabi, also known as the Sheikh Zayed Mosque.
But was it really doable in only three hours?
Read more: Can You Leave The Airport During A Layover?
Table of Contents
Preparing For The Layover
Before making any plans to leave the airport during a layover, it’s important to check the country’s visa policy. Last summer, I transited through Abu Dhabi twice and entered once with my German passport and once with my US passport. Although officially, German passport holders have visa-free access to the UAE and US passport holders receive a visa on arrival, I noticed absolutely no difference the two times I entered. And after entering the country once, you can enter simply by scanning your passport! However, entry regulations for the UAE differ from nationality to nationality. Therefore, you might not be able to enter the country without a transit visa.
Next, you should approximate how much time it will take you to pass through immigration and security. In my experience, Abu Dhabi Airport is very organized and I’ve never experienced any long lines. However, if there are long lines, getting out of and back into the airport could take a long time and seriously hinder you from visiting any major attractions.
The last thing I recommend doing before leaving the airport is exchanging local currency. Although entry to the Grand Mosque is free, you might need UAE dirhams to pay for a taxi, snacks, or souvenirs. And if you exchange at the airport, you don’t even have to worry about exchanging too much money. You’ll receive a receipt that allows you to get your original currency back free of charge if you don’t spend all your dirhams!
Getting To The Grand Mosque
The best way to get to the Sheikh Zayed Mosque during an Abu Dhabi layover is by taxi/rideshare service. During my three-hour layover last year, I took the supposedly “easy” way and went with a tout. However, I REALLY don’t recommend you do this! I had an absolutely horrible experience that potentially all female solo travelers are at risk of when taking an unofficial taxi. My recommendation is that you either take an official airport taxi or use the Careem app to call a ride-share.
The ride from the airport to the Grand Mosque takes 15-20 minutes by car. Once you get there, your driver will drop you off in an area designated for taxis. You can try asking your driver to wait for you at the mosque. Otherwise, plan in an extra ten minutes to call another taxi or Careem on your way back.
In my case, my driver parked the car, went into the mosque with me, and drove me back to the airport for 200 dirhams (~$55 USD). But again, I had a horrible experience with this driver and advise you absolutely against unofficial drivers.
Read more: Top 10 Taxi Safety Tips For Solo Female Travelers
Admiring One Of The World’s Most Magnificent Buildings
In my experience, after having seen numerous breathtaking buildings around the world, this title is not an exaggeration. The Sheikh Zayed Mosque is absolutely stunning and by far the most magnificent mosque I’ve ever seen. Therefore, I couldn’t have been happier with my decision to visit this place.
The opening hours of the Sheikh Zayed Mosque are 9 am to 10 pm from Saturdays to Thursdays. On Fridays, the mosque is open only for prayer in the morning and opens for tourists at 4:30 pm. If you have a layover during these times, you can enter the building but if not, you can still admire it from afar. I was extremely lucky to witness an amazing sunset and experience a stunning blue hour by the mosque during my layover.
As I had mentioned earlier, entry to the Grand Mosque is free. All you have to do is sign in with your basic personal data when entering and you’re free to enjoy this beautiful place.
Like with many other mosques, visitors are required to obey a modest dress code. Women must cover their hair, arms, and legs, while men have to cover only their legs and shoulders. However, don’t worry if you didn’t bring the right clothes. You can borrow an abaya for free at the mosque!
When I visited the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, the place was extremely crowded, which made it a bit difficult to move around. Generally speaking, however, one hour is more than enough to explore the entire mosque and take some beautiful photos. But if you think you might be running short on time, you should leave the place earlier because few things are worse than missing your connection flight!
Conclusion
In my experience, three hours are enough to explore the Sheikh Zayed Mosque during a layover at Abu Dhabi Airport. I didn’t regret my decision at all since I got to visit one of the most magnificent places ever in transit from Europe to East Asia. However, leaving the airport during such a short layover requires extensive planning beforehand and can put you under significant stress. You should only attempt this if the airport is not busy and you are prepared to run if you have to. And of course, always check entry regulation before leaving the airport during a layover in another country.
Read more:
The Most Relaxing Layover Ever: Masian Beach – Incheon Layover Guide
Noryangjin Fish Market On A Layover: 5 Things To Know Before You Go
Can You Leave The Airport During A Layover?
You are brave! Leaving the airport on a 3 hr layover hahaha my inner get-to-the-gate-early self could never LOL! What a fascinating place. That’s awesome it’s so close to the airport and great tips on making sure you use a credible ride to get there. I love that it’s free and you can borrow the appropriate covering. I’d love to get here one day!
Wow! I would never have that this would be possible! Great info for getting this done in such a short time!! Looks really cool. #travelgoals
This mosque is so incredible. I haven’t been to Abu Dhabi before but this mosque alone is a reason to go there!
I’m a new fan of the layover concept and recently did a stopover in Qatar on route to Nairobi. It was a wonderful way to break up a long flight. Love reading about your itinerary in Abu Dhabi and I would certainly love to spend some time here as well. You must have hit the ground running to make such great use of your time!
What a great way to make the most of a layover. I normally just hit an airport lounge, but I would love to visit the grand mosque. It’s definitely on my to visit list now!
I promise you, it’s so worth it! Abu Dhabi is a huge hub and you can fly with Etihad to almost anywhere in the world. Check with the airline to book a longer layover, they can even give you up to two days for free! That way you can explore in a more relaxed way haha.
leaving the airport on a 3 hour layover OMG hahaha. I would be so stressed but I wish I were as brave as you! I have always wanted to visit Abu Dhabi (so maybe I wouldn’t mind if I missed my flight to wherever I was going) LOL
Yeah, it’s absolutely worth it. If you’re flying with Etihad you can inquire about a long layover so you can explore without missing your flight haha.
I am truly impressed! I am far too nervous a traveller to leave the airport on a short layover. But it looks like your bravery is so worth it!
It’s amazing that in such a short period of time you managed to visit the mosque. I had never thought that you would be able to do much in 3 hours, but you have inspired me to look for places I could easily visit in a couple of hours. Also, I didn’t know that Etihad always stops in Abu Dhabi, that’s great. I am saving your blog post for the future, I hope I can visit Abu Dhabi one day 🙂
Awesome, have fun in Abu Dhabi when you go there! Etihad flies almost everywhere so you can easily connect through Abu Dhabi!
Awesome! Definitely consider flying through Abu Dhabi next time you travel across the globe!
Great idea, love it!
Anyone who can pull off a 3-hour layover tour of a place this beautiful….. is my travel (s)hero! I wonder how many other 3-hour layover tours I can do all over the world!!??! You have inspired me with this post, so thank you.
Aww, I’m glad to hear this! I’d encourage you to check out my recent post about my relaxing Masian Beach layover then! It’s a beach right next to Seoul Incheon Airport and it’s possible to visit it within 3-4 hours.
I will, thank you!! I love these layover guides, this is such a great idea.
That’s quite the quick layover activity. Sounds like it’s easy enough though if you know how. And worth the trip. Glad to see you can rent something to wear there. That’s always the concern when visiting a temple or mosque if you need to plan in advance
Yes! And many vendors around churches, mosques, and temples take advantage of this and sell modest clothing at higher prices, that’s why I was especially glad to borrow the abaya for free at the mosque.
It’s awesome that you visited Sheikh Zayed Mosque with 3 hours layover. When I visited the mosque, it was extremely crowded and it took us half a day. We also got lost in the complex and could not find our van 😀. But this is a detailed comprehensive guide and truly it is a beautiful mosque.
That must have sucked haha. When I went the place was very crowded as well but the beautiful sunset and blue hour made up for it!
I have been to this lovely Mosque, and I am really impressed that you did it such a short layover. We too often just sit around the airport and wait.
I used to be afraid of leaving the airport as well but after missing a flight while waiting at the wrong gate I realized it might not be SUCH a bug difference hahaha
It looks beautiful and I commend you for taking full advantage of your layover. I think I would need 5 hours to risk leaving the airport.
Yes, with five hours you’re definitely on the safer side and you probably wouldn’t have to run as much as me lol
I am so surprised you made it on a 3-hr layover! Definitely sounds like you did some solid planning beforehand! I usually always try to fly direct (if the price isn’t too different), but hearing about opportunities for layovers like this make me reconsider! Thanks for sharing!
Yes, you should definitely consider booking with a layover (preferably a long one) if it lets you explore a new place!
I am not sure I’m as adventurous to make this trip on a 3 hour layover ! I am very paranoid and will get really stressed up for missing my flight ! However, the Grand Mosque is really beautiful ! The entrance somehow reminds me of the Royal Opera House in Muscat, Oman ! That chandelier is one exquisite piece of luxury ! I would love to take my time and check this out in person, not hastily while worrying about missing my flight ! =)
Oh really? That’s interesting! I haven’t been to Muscat yet but I’m dying to check it out.
Also, if you’re considering connecting through Abu Dhabi but want more time to explore, you can check out the Etihad website. They can let you book multi-day layovers free of any extra charges.
That’s a great idea ! A multi day layover is something I will consider! =)
Impressive!
You’re so brave to leave the airport during such a short layover! It certainly helps that they are so organized.
Great pictures and I look forward to reading more of your layover guides! Maybe I’ll take the risk someday 😊
Thanks! Definitely try it out someday, it’s so worth it!
Wow, you’re brave! I think I would be too stressed leaving the airport with only 3 hours spare, but what a great way to get to see another part of the world! The mosque is so beautiful and going at sunset is the best time to get the different light. I am sorry to hear you had a bad experience with the driver – good advice for other people to always go with an official taxi. Maybe next time I have a short layover I need to be brave and get out the airport!
Yes! As long as you observe the traffic at the airport well before heading out you can see quite a bit even during a short layover.
Interesting! When was this mosque built? We’ve never been to Abu Dhabi and must admit that it’s not on our bucket list. Of course, it can always become a stopover someday. You’re very brave to head there during a 3 hours layover! We’re not sure we would dare leaving the airport even during a 5 hours layover, wherever that is in the world! Too scared to miss our next flight!
The Grand Mosque is pretty new, it was only finished in 2007.
To be honest, I never really thought about visiting Abu Dhabi either before booking my first flight with Etihad Airways. Since then, I’ve been to Abu Dhabi three times in only a year, all during layovers. It’s the perfect destination for a stopover because the airport literally connects the entire world. And of you want to explore the city in a more relaxed way, you can book through Etihad directly with a multi-day layover.
This is real interesting. I would have never thought that a 3h layover would allow you to do that. How close to boarding did you get back to the gate?
I made it almost twenty minutes before boarding. It was a well calculated risk considering the low traffic at the airport at that time.
It is indeed grand!
I would definitely try to get out for a three hour stopover, especially because I have electronic entry/exit for the UAE.
I actually had a two and a half hour stopover in Abu Dhabi on my way home to HK last year. I was so close to leaving the airport, but I was already pretty exhausted from three months travelling from East to West Asia overland, so I decided it’d be better for me to just chill.
I can imagine how exhausted you were! And two and a half hours would have been pretty short to go somewhere. I had a layover of the same duration at Narita Airport a few months ago and I left the airport, just for fun. Literally all I could do during that time was check out a souvenir shop in the arrival hall and buy drinks at a vending machine outside.
I would be so stressed to leave the airport if I had only 3 hours ahah/ The Grand Mosque makes it worth it though, such an impressive architecture!
The Grand Mosque is so magnificent. It is really great to know that one can actually visit the lovely structure if one has a 3 hour layover in Abu Dhabi.
Wooow I had no idea this was even possible with such a short layover! We normally arrive 3 hours early for international flights, so I probably would not have even considered leaving the airport for such a short time. Still, this looks totally worth the effort!
The Sheikh Zayed Mosque is truly beautiful!
This quick layover activity in Abu Dhabi sounds like a worthy thing to do. Such guides will help travellers who don’t know about this place in detail. I’d love to visit Dubai and Abu Dhabi someday.
Yes, you should definitely check it out, perhaps also during a layover!
Wow, that’s awesome that you were able to successfully squeeze in a visit to the Grand Mosque on such a short layover! I visited about 10 years ago on an epic road trip from Dubai to Muscat, Oman and agree it is absolutely stunning!
A road trip from Dubai to Muscat? That sounds indeed epic!
Oh wow, that’s soo good to know. The Sheikh Zayed Mosque is still on my bucket list and I’ll definitely remember that for my next layover in Abu Dhabi 🙂