Useful apps for United Arab Emirates: transport, maps, translation

Set up before you fly. Download Careem, Uber, the RTA Dubai app, Google Maps, Botim and your bank's card app while you still have home Wi-Fi. Add a travel notification to your card so contactless payments do not get declined at the airport. If your phone supports eSIM, buy an Etisalat (e&) or du tourist eSIM online before departure; otherwise buy a physical tourist SIM at DXB or AUH arrivals, where both operators have desks and ask for your passport.

On arrival, activate the SIM or eSIM and test data before leaving the terminal. Free Wi-Fi is available in malls, metro stations, hotels and cafés through the 'WiFi UAE' network, which needs an SMS login, so a working local number helps. If you plan to drive, install a parking app for paid zones and keep Google Maps offline for the areas you will cover outside cities.

Day to day, use Careem or Uber for point-to-point trips and the RTA Dubai app for metro, bus, tram and water bus routes, Nol card balance and parking. In Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and the northern emirates, ride-hailing still works but coverage is thinner outside city centres, so check the fare estimate before confirming. For calls home, use Botim or another approved app, or a normal phone line; WhatsApp text messages work normally.

Keep a screenshot of your hotel address in Arabic and English; some drivers prefer it over a map pin. Save your Nol card number in the RTA app so you can top up without queuing at a machine. If you rely on WhatsApp calls for work, tell colleagues before you land that you will be unreachable by voice for the trip and agree on an alternative such as Botim or email.

Use a VPN only for ordinary privacy needs, not to reach blocked content; using one to commit an offence carries heavy fines. Check your bank's foreign transaction fees before you rely on contactless payments, and carry a physical card as backup. For longer stays, a local prepaid plan is usually cheaper than roaming.