Whether you’ve got a scintillating dinner party reservation to make or you’re headed to the best vantage points for fireworks, you’ll have to plan alternative routes of travel to get to your New Year celebrations in Dubai due to NYE road closures.
The RTA confirmed several main roads will close down for vehicles and pedestrians on Decemebr 31. To reduce traffic and bottlenecks, authorities have urged party-goers and residents to use public transport. Extended hours have been introduced for metros and trams, and free buses have been rolled out.
NYE road closures in Dubai
All roads leading to Downtown Dubai, the stage of the epic Burj Khalifa fireworks, have been closed from 4pm on December 31.
- Al Asayel Street
- Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard
- Burj Khalifa Street
- Financial Centre Street, Lower Deck
- Al Mustaqbal Street
Other roads
- Al Sukouk Street, from 8pm
- The Financial Centre Street, Upper deck from 9pm
- Sheikh Zayed Road to close gradually from 11pm
Public transport
Dubai Metro
Dubai Metro stations will run for 43 hours, starting from 5am on December 31 straight until 12am on Thursday, January 2, 2025.
You will need a minimum of AED 15 on your NOL Silver Card and a minimum of AED 30 on NOL Gold Card.
Burj Khalifa Metro Station is closed from 5pm. Instead use the World Trade Centre, Business Bay, Financial Centre and Emirates Towers metro stations.
Dubai Tram
The Dubai Tram will operate from 6am on December 21 until 1am on Thursday, January 2, 2025.
Pedestrian routes
Dubai Water Canal lifts and pedestrian bridges in Al Safa, Jumeirah and Business Bay areas will be closed.
Taxis
The RTA has confirmed that 29,600 taxis and limousines will be in operation during New Year’s Eve in Dubai.
Buses
An extra 1,400 buses will hit the roads on New Year’s Eve to ease congestion at crowded metro stations and will be available to the public for free. Included in this are 260 shuttle buses that will ferry visitors to key NYE locations. Additionally, there will be 20 double-decker buses and 240 standard buses.
E100 from Al Ghubaiba Bus Station won’t operate on December 31 and January 1. Passengers should use E101 from Ibn Battuta Bus Station to Abu Dhabi instead.
E102 from Al Jafiliya Bus Station will also be unavailable on December 31 and January 1. Passengers can use the same route from Ibn Battuta Bus Station to Musaffah for this duration.
Bus routes towards Burj Khalifa from Al Quoz Industrial Area, Oud Al Muteena and Jebel Ali Industrial Area are suspended on New Year’s Eve Day, December 31.
Free Parking
All RTA public parking spaces will be free of charge on Wednesday, January 1, 2025. This does not apply to multi-storey parking lots in the city. Paid parking will be active again on January 2, 2025.