Dubai-Sharjah traffic: E11 slows the evening drive home

Dubai: The drive home is taking longer than usual for many commuters heading from Dubai to Sharjah this evening, with E11 carrying some of the heaviest traffic between the two emirates.

The Google Maps snapshots show long stretches of traffic on E11 as cars head towards Sharjah. The slowdown becomes particularly noticeable closer to the border and continues into Sharjah, meaning motorists using the coastal route should be prepared for a stop-start journey.

This fits the usual evening pattern, when thousands of commuters leave Dubai at roughly the same time. Recent traffic monitoring has also identified E11 as one of the roads taking the biggest hit during the evening rush, with queues building through Dubai and towards Sahara Centre and Sharjah.

E311, or Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, is busy too. The maps show sections of slower traffic on the inland route between Dubai and Sharjah, although conditions vary along the highway. Drivers heading towards Muhaisnah, the Sharjah industrial areas or Muwaileh could find their journey slowing considerably as they get closer to Sharjah.

There is better news for anyone able to take a wider route home. E611/Emirates Road looks noticeably clearer in the Google Maps overview, with most of the road shown in green between Dubai and Sharjah. There are a few slower patches, but nothing on the scale of the congestion visible on E11.

Taking E611 will not make sense for everyone, of course. It is a much wider loop for people heading to central Sharjah, Al Majaz or Al Khan. But for motorists travelling towards outer Sharjah, or those continuing north, it could be worth checking before setting off.

Recent testing during the evening rush has also suggested that Emirates Road can save time despite the extra distance, particularly when E311 is badly congested.

Beyond Sharjah, the journey looks easier. The second map shows mostly free-flowing traffic towards Ajman, Umm Al Quwain and Ras Al Khaimah, with only scattered patches of slower traffic along the main highways.

Within Dubai, there are also pockets of congestion on E44 and roads feeding the main northbound routes, but much of the wider network remains moving.

For commuters heading home to Sharjah this evening, E11 looks like the toughest option, while E311 has its own busy stretches. If the destination allows it, E611 is worth checking before leaving. With evening traffic changing quickly, a few minutes spent comparing routes could make for a much shorter journey home.