Dubai’s new variable parking fees are to come into effect from Friday, April 4. Peak pricing will apply for six of the 14 chargeable hours each day, from 8am to 10am and 4pm to 8pm. Sundays and public holidays are excluded.
Tariffs during the off-peak hours of 10am to 4pm and 8pm to 10pm are expected to remain unchanged and parking will continue to be free from 10pm to 8am.
Public parking in Dubai is mostly divided into four zones – A, B, C and D – but these are to be updated, Parkin, Dubai’s main parking operator, said last week.
Dubai’s parking zones
Some areas of zones A, B, C and D will become AP, BP, CP and DP, with premium parking tariffs applied. Standard tariffs will continue to apply in other parts of the zones.
The parking operator, set up in January 2024 to manage the emirate’s parking facilities, has asked drivers to check updated zone codes when parking or to refer to the Parkin website and app.
Parkin said the premium parking zones were selected using three criteria. “First, ease of access to the area using public transport, such as areas within 500 metres of a metro station; second, areas with high parking occupancy during peak periods; and third, density and congestion, such as markets and commercial activity zones,“ it said.
Premium parking spaces include commercial areas such as Deira and Bur Dubai, Downtown Dubai, Business Bay, Jumeirah and Al Wasl Road. These areas are categorised as in-demand, densely populated areas, including those adjacent to or near public transport.
Parkin announced on Wednesday that 40 per cent of the RTA's public parking portfolio would be classified in the premium bracket, as would 35 per cent of the spaces available through private developers.
How do the parking fees work?
Zone A
- Standard parking: Dh4 an hour during peak and off-peak timings.
- Premium parking: Dh6 an hour during peak times and Dh4 off-peak.
Zone B
- Standard parking: Dh4 an hour during peak timings and Dh3 off-peak. Day rates are Dh30.
- Premium parking: Dh6 an hour during peak timings and Dh3 off-peak. Day rates are Dh40.
Zone C
- Standard parking: Dh4 an hour during peak timings and Dh2 off-peak.
- Premium parking: Dh6 an hour during peak timings and Dh2 off-peak.
Zone D
- Standard parking: Dh4 an hour during peak timings and Dh2 off-peak. Day rates are Dh20.
- Premium parking: Dh6 an hour during peak timings and Dh2 off-peak. Day rates are Dh30.
Parkin announced peak and off-peak rates in December. The move aims to improve “parking management in congested, high-density, high-demand areas", the company said.
Parkin this year introduced rates of Dh25 an hour for parking spaces near exhibition centres and venues during major events, which applies to the following:
- Gitex - October 13-17
- Beautyworld Middle East - October 27-29
- Gulfood Manufacturing - November 4-6
- The Big 5 - November 24-27
- Automechanika Dubai - December 9-11
Parkin manages more than 200,000 paid parking spaces across Dubai, including public parking and public multistorey parking spaces, as well as some privately owned parking spaces under long-term contracts. The company's other revenue streams include enforcement and issuance of seasonal permits, parking reservations and other commercial activities.