How much does a Europe trip from Dubai cost per person?

For a budget trip sharing a double room: Greece runs about AED 2,000 to 3,300 for 7 days in low or shoulder season, Switzerland about AED 3,100 to 4,700 for 5 days excluding food, and Paris with Amsterdam about AED 3,500 to 6,200 for 6 days. All figures are typical aggregator ranges checked in August 2026 and exclude the visa (about AED 460 to 600 in official fees).

Do I need a visa to visit Europe from Dubai?

Emirati passport holders do not: the UAE has visa-free access to the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180. Most of Dubai's expatriate residents (Indian, Pakistani, Filipino, Egyptian and many other passports) do need a Schengen visa, applied for in the UAE with a valid residence visa.

Which European country is cheapest to visit from Dubai?

Greece is usually the cheapest of the classic destinations: return flights from about AED 1,000 with budget carriers, budget Athens hotels around USD 72 to 102 a night, and island ferries from about EUR 40 each way. Go in low or shoulder season; July and August island prices can triple.

How long does the Schengen visa take from Dubai?

Standard processing is 15 calendar days after your biometrics appointment, and appointments in peak months (May to September) can take weeks to get. Start about 2 months before travel; applications open 6 months before your trip.

Is a Europe tour package from Dubai worth it?

Packages sold in Dubai typically start around AED 2,500 excluding the visa work, and visa agencies charge around AED 850 on top. Booking flights, hotels and trains yourself at the prices on this page, and having your visa application prepared for £69 (about AED 345), usually comes in well under the package price for the same trip.

Visit Europe from Dubai (2026): Budget Itineraries, Visa & Costs

The honest arithmetic

Tour packages from Dubai start around AED 2,500 per person before the visa, and local visa agencies charge around AED 850 for the paperwork alone. Booked yourself at typical August 2026 prices, the same trips look like this (per person, sharing, budget end):

Trip	Days	Typical total	What that includes
Athens and one Greek island	7	AED 2,000 to 3,300	Return flights, return ferry, 6 nights budget hotels (low or shoulder season, excludes food)
Switzerland by scenic rail	5	AED 3,100 to 4,700	Return flights, 4-day Swiss Travel Pass, 4 nights budget stays (excludes food)
Paris and Amsterdam	6	AED 3,500 to 6,200	One-stop return flights, Eurostar between cities, 5 nights 3-star hotels

These are aggregator ranges checked in August 2026, not fixed quotes: fares move daily, and high season lifts everything. Each itinerary below shows the line items so you can rebuild the total for your own dates.

First, the visa (most Dubai residents need one)

Emirati citizens travel visa-free. Most expatriate residents need a Schengen visa, applied for in the UAE:

Pick your main destination (the country where you spend the most nights) and apply through its operator: VFS Global for most countries, BLS International for Spain. Our UAE hub has the verified operator table.
Official costs: the €90 consulate fee (about AED 388, Spain publishes exactly that) plus the operator's service fee, for example AED 73 for Spain (BLS, verified) or AED 88 for Greece (VFS's own one-pager; the Greek MFA page still shows AED 80).
Standard processing is 15 calendar days after biometrics. Book appointments early for May to September travel.

We prepare the whole application for you for £69 (about AED 345): forms completed, document pack built to your consulate's checklist, appointment plan for your emirate. You pay the official fees locally and attend biometrics. Prepared within 24 hours of receiving your documents, or your fee back. That is less than half what Dubai agencies charge for the same work.

Itinerary 1: Athens and the islands, 7 days

The cheapest classic Europe trip from Dubai. Return flights from about AED 1,000 to 1,715 (Aegean, Air Arabia and Pegasus all serve the route), Blue Star ferry to Paros from about EUR 40.50 each way, budget Athens hotels around USD 72 to 102 a night and island stays from USD 36 to 91 outside July and August.

Apply through Greece (VFS Global in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, AED 88 service fee per VFS) with your ferry and hotel bookings as the itinerary evidence. Full day-by-day plan: Greece budget itinerary from Dubai.

Itinerary 2: Switzerland by rail, 5 days

Zurich return flights from about AED 1,100 to 1,800 (October is typically cheapest), then a 4-day Swiss Travel Pass at CHF 309 (about AED 1,403, official 2026 rate) covers trains, boats and city transport, including the Lucerne and Interlaken legs. Hostel dorms from CHF 30 to 60 keep the accommodation line down.

Apply through Switzerland (VFS Global since July 2025). Full plan: Switzerland rail itinerary from Dubai.

Itinerary 3: Paris and Amsterdam, 6 days

One-stop returns to Paris from about AED 1,050 to 1,950 (direct Emirates or Air France from about AED 2,207). Eurostar to Amsterdam from EUR 35 booked ahead. August is actually Paris's cheapest hotel month; Amsterdam adds a 12.5 percent tourist tax to every night.

Apply through France as your main destination (VFS Global, Abu Dhabi). Full plan: Paris and Amsterdam itinerary from Dubai.

When to go

Cheapest months: October, November and late January to March for flights; Greek islands drop hardest outside June to August.
Paris exception: August is its cheapest hotel month, when Parisians leave town.
Visa timing: apply about 2 months ahead in any season; German and peak-season appointments can queue for weeks.

Your next step

Answer three questions and we will show your exact plan, fees and timing for any Schengen country, before any payment: start your trip plan. Or read the full UAE application guide if you want to do everything yourself; it costs you nothing.