Dubai: If you have ever paid extra charges when the taxi crossed the Salik gate, as a passenger, you are within your rights to avoid the toll gate and request an alternative route.
To do so, you must inform the driver at the start of the trip that you do not want to go through a Salik gate. This information is clearly made available to passengers of Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) taxis, with information stickers placed at the windows on the backseat.
Salik charge is added to trip fare
According to RTA, passengers must pay an additional Dh4 in the total fare, if a taxi passes from under a Salik toll gate. The fee is included in the final fare. If you do not wish to pay this charge, you can ask the taxi driver to avoid taking a route which has a Salik toll gate. In fact, a passenger has the right to specify the most practical route to be taken to reach his or her destination, as per the rights of taxi passengers stated by the RTA.
The policy to include Salik tolls in the fare total if the taxi passes through a gate has existed since 2013. You will find the rule printed on a sticker placed on the passenger window. The sticker outlines the rules and taxi fare information for passengers.
Variable Salik rates in 2025
RTA has also announced that it will introduce Variable Road Toll Pricing (Salik) system by the end of January 2025. This means that during the during weekdays, the toll will be Dh6 during morning peak hours from 6am to 10am and evening peak hours 4pm to 8pm.
For off-peak hours, between 10am and 4pm, and from 8pm to 1am, the toll will be Dh4. On Sundays, excluding public holidays, special occasions, or major events, the toll will be Dh4 throughout the day and free from 1am to 6am.
Extra taxi fare charges you should keep in mind
Apart from the additional Salik fee that is billed to the passenger, an extra charge of Dh20 is applied when the taxi enters Sharjah. Also, the public taxi has a waiting fee of 50 fils per minute for all types of vehicles.
Starting fare for taxis in the UAE
While you are in the taxi, the taxi metre must be in clear view and display must show the fare. If you are keeping track of the fare in the taxi metre, you need to keep in mind the starting fare, which largely depends on the type of taxi and the timing. These are the regular taxi rates in Dubai:
- Dh5 - for a regular taxi hailed from the road between 6am to 10pm.
- Dh5.50 - for a regular taxi hailed from the road between 10pm to 6am.
If you a book an RTA public taxi (Hala Tax) through Careem the starting fare is Dh12.
In January 2024, RTA introduced new flag fall rates for both regular metered taxis and Hala Taxi service at specific locations and times. According RTA, the flag fall rate is set at Dh20 at the locations of main events such as exhibitions and international conventions like World Trade Centre, Expo City and Global Village. This is applicable during the major event days.
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