If XNB has appeared on your flight itinerary as a departure or arrival 'airport' in Dubai, here is the explanation: XNB is not an airport at all. It is the code for the Etihad bus station in Dubai, from which Etihad Airways runs its luxury coach connection to Abu Dhabi International Airport. Understanding how it works saves real confusion on travel day.
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## What XNB actually is
XNB is the IATA code for Etihad's coach terminal in Dubai, located at the Al Wasl Centre on Sheikh Zayed Road, behind Chelsea Tower and opposite the Mazaya Centre, near the Business Bay area Metro stops. When you book an Etihad flight 'from Dubai', the ticket can include a complimentary coach transfer to Abu Dhabi's airport, and your itinerary then lists XNB as the origin, even though you are boarding a bus, not a plane. The coach is free for Etihad passengers in Economy, Business, and First, but only travellers holding a confirmed Etihad ticket with XNB on it can use it.
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## How the coach connection works
Coaches run throughout the day between XNB and Abu Dhabi International Airport, with departures spread from the small hours through late evening, roughly ten services a day. The journey takes about an hour and a half to two hours depending on traffic on the Dubai to Abu Dhabi highway, so treat the coach time as part of your check-in plan and arrive at XNB with the margin Etihad advises for your flight.
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## Getting to XNB and tips
The station sits on Sheikh Zayed Road, easily reached by Metro, taxi, or ride-hailing from most of Dubai. Arrive early enough to check in for the coach, keep your Etihad booking reference handy, and remember that luggage travels with you on the coach and is checked through at Abu Dhabi. If your plans change, ordinary intercity buses and taxis also link Dubai and Abu Dhabi, but they drop at city terminals rather than inside the airport.