Dubai: If you are driving around the UAE and are thinking of skipping a route that has a toll gate on it, here’s something to consider – some toll gates can be free depending on when you use them.
Dubai has the Salik toll gate system, which currently have eight toll gates in different parts of the city, and soon two more gates will be added. In Abu Dhabi, too, you have a road toll system – Darb, with toll gates located on main bridges leading to Abu Dhabi City: Sheikh Zayed Bridge, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Bridge, Al Maqtaa Bridge, and Mussafah Bridge.
The charge for both these systems is Dh4 per crossing, but there are times of the day or week when you don’t need to pay when you cross some of these toll gates.
Here are the details:
Al Maktoum bridge
You can cross the toll gate on Al Maktoum bridge without a charge from 10pm to 6am from Saturday to Friday. Passing is free on Sundays.
Al Mamzar toll gates
There are two toll gates in the Al Mamzar area on E11 – Al Mamzar South and North gates. If you cross the toll gates in the same direction within an hour you will be charged only once.
Al Safa toll gates
While currently there is only one toll gate in the Al Safa area, later this month another toll gate will be operational on the route – the Al Safa South toll gate, and the current Al Safa toll gate will be renamed ‘Al Safa North’.
Once the two gates are operational, they will also charge motorists on the same rule as the Al Mamzar toll gates – commuters will be charged only once if they pass through the two gates within one hour in the same direction.
Darb toll gate
Even in Abu Dhabi, you can use a toll gate route and save money. The Darb toll system is only active during peak hours:
• Morning peak period: 7am – 9am
• Evening peak period: 5pm – 7pm
If you use a toll route at a time outside these peak hours, you will not be charged. The gates are also free to use on Sundays and during public holidays.
