A campus that moved out of the city
According to HCT's own website, the HCT-Abu Dhabi Baniyas Campuses opened in 2023 after relocating from their original location in Abu Dhabi city, where they were among the four inaugural HCT campuses. The route box above measures from the campus location HCT publishes and rates the drive to RPM a long commute.
Students and staff who once had a campus in the city now drive out to Baniyas, and a gym habit built around the old location may no longer fit. RPM has no link with HCT. It is one club, on Level 4 of AD HUB Sports Complex in Al Manhal, and the useful question is which end of your day it would sit on. Start with how RPM's single club looks from a campus that moved out of the city.
Where you live now decides the answer
| Where you live | Verdict | How RPM could fit |
|---|---|---|
| On Abu Dhabi island | Worth comparing | At the home end: before you drive out, after you get back, or on days without classes |
| In Bani Yas or another mainland district | A gym by home or campus will usually suit you better | A planned visit now and then, for coaching, the Ladies section or the recovery suite |
| Without a car | Hard to sustain | Only for a specific session, with a lift arranged in both directions |
The route box counts from the campus. For a home-end session, the trip that matters begins at your own front door, so time that one.
Island residents are the group RPM can serve week after week, since their drive begins and finishes on the island anyway. Everyone else is weighing an occasional visit.
Two campuses, different programmes, different weeks
HCT's campus page splits programmes between its two Baniyas campuses. Your programme shapes your week more than the campus does.
| Campus | Programme areas HCT lists |
|---|---|
| Baniyas Campus A | Applied Media · Business · Engineering Technology & Science |
| Baniyas Campus B | Computer Information Science · Education · Health Sciences |
| Your week | What it means for RPM |
|---|---|
| Long lab or workshop days on campus | Skip the gym that evening, or keep it short. The drive back is already long |
| Days that finish early | The best home-end slot of the week, once you are back on the island |
| Placement or practice days on the island, if your programme has them | RPM may sit on your route rather than off it, so use those weeks |
| Assessment and exam weeks | Short sessions, no extra driving, and sleep first |
| Breaks between terms | If you stay in Abu Dhabi, a block of more frequent visits fits well |
Check placement arrangements with your own programme. This page makes no claim about which programmes include them.
For term-by-term planning, read the guide for university students. This page stays with the effect of the long drive.
Staff who drive out to Baniyas each morning
For faculty and staff with an island home, the session belongs on the island side of the drive. Two patterns tend to last.
- Before the drive out: lift first, change at the club, then head for campus. Your work bag waits in a keypad locker, and the grooming hub has hairdryers and products. Showers and towels are a question for the team, so ask before you plan around them.
- After the drive back: stop at AD HUB on the way in, before home, so the evening at home starts with the training already done.
- Pick the pattern you can repeat most weeks. When a meeting overruns, shift that session to another day instead of writing off the week.
| Days | Opening hours |
|---|---|
| Saturday to Thursday | 06:00–23:00 |
| Friday | 09:00–22:00 |
Hours can change, for example during Ramadan. Confirm with the team before a late or early visit.
Early opening suits the morning plan and late closing suits the evening one, with shorter Friday hours. In Ramadan both campus and club timetables change, so rebuild the plan for the month.
Women students and staff
Women who would rather train among women can use the Ladies section, which has its own strength and cardio equipment and the Pilates studio, where reformer classes run. Asma Jamousi Zadeh is on its roster for conditioning and HYROX-style training, and Giana Suleiman Daqnoush as a Pilates and aerobic instructor. Male students and staff use the Mixed section. Confirm which sections your tier includes before you join.
Along Al Ain Road, and a first visit
The mapped route from the campuses follows Al Ain Road onto the island and finishes on Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Street (Airport Road) into Al Manhal. At AD HUB you leave the car in the free on-site parking and ride the lift to Level 4.
For the free guided tour, pick a normal campus week and the hour you would actually train, and set off from your real starting point. On prices, RPM publishes none, so put any question about a student or staff rate to the team.
Sources
Questions, answered.
Is RPM at HCT's Baniyas Campuses?
No. RPM has one club, on Level 4 of AD HUB Sports Complex in Al Manhal on the island, and no connection with HCT. The route box gives the mapped trip from the campuses.
Does HCT have a gym on campus?
HCT's campus page mentions recreational facilities but does not list a gym, so ask your campus's student services what you can use. If there is a facility on campus, it may cover your weekdays.
Is there a student or staff rate at RPM?
RPM publishes neither prices nor a student rate. Ask the team what applies to you, and weigh it against the driving a gym by home or campus would save.
I trained by the old city campus. Should I keep that gym?
If you live on the island, perhaps: it may now be a home-end gym rather than a campus one. Compare it with RPM on what each offers at the hours you can really reach it.
Exams are coming. Should I stop training?
Not necessarily. Short sessions that add no driving can sit beside revision, but sleep comes first.