Events at Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi

How to get to Etihad Arena from Dubai

Etihad Arena is on the waterfront of Yas Bay on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. Most people coming from Dubai drive: it takes about an hour to an hour and a half, depending on where in Dubai you start and on the traffic. Taxis and ride-hailing cars drop off near the entrances.

Without a car, intercity buses run between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and Yas Express and local bus routes connect to the arena on the island; for some events there are shuttles, announced on the arena’s website. Plan the way back too — a show that ends late means a late drive home.

Yas Island and Yas Bay around the arena

Yas Bay is an entertainment district on Yas Island, which is also home to the island’s theme parks and the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Restaurants and a waterfront boardwalk of about three kilometres surround the arena, and Abu Dhabi International Airport is about seven minutes away.

A show is easy to combine with a day at the theme parks or a night in one of the island’s hotels.

Yas Island tickets and tours ›

Etihad Arena parking

The arena’s car parks are P1, P2, Lifestyle Parking and the Yas Bay Multi-Storey Car Park, all on the ticketless PARKONIC SALIK system. On official Etihad Arena event days parking there is free for all visitors, with no validation needed unless announced otherwise.

Follow the event signs and the staff to your parking zone — the arena publishes parking maps for its events. Designated parking bays and a drop-off area are kept for guests with reduced mobility.

Etihad Arena seating plan and capacity

Etihad Arena holds up to 18,000 people and has 16 VIP suites. The layout changes with every event: for concerts the floor is often split into standing or seated categories, such as Floor Gold and Floor Silver, with tiered seats around it — check the seat map for your show when you buy.

Wheelchair seating is available at every event; where it is depends on the layout, and Yas Concierge books it. Lifts and escalators serve every level.

Bags, tickets and rules

Bags larger than 30 × 30 × 15 cm are not allowed, and there is no cloakroom. Outside food and drink, laptops and tablets, professional cameras, selfie sticks, tripods, flags and banners are not allowed either, and every guest is screened on entry.

Tickets are digital, in the Yas Island app, and valid for one entry — once you leave, you can’t go back in. Age limits depend on the event. Alcohol is served at designated outlets to guests aged 21 and over with ID, and the arena is non-smoking indoors, vapes included.