How the UAE is tackling traffic congestion with metro expansion, road upgrades and Etihad Rail

The UAE is a car country. That’s no surprise since cheaper fuel inevitably leads to more cars, but more cars mean more traffic snarls. During peak hours, key arterial routes are chock-a-block with vehicles, especially during school drop-off and office commute times.

Despite world-class highways — some with up to 12 lanes — congestion remains a daily challenge. More roads, flyovers, and underpasses are being built, but expansion alone isn’t a lasting fix. Roads keep getting wider, yet the problem persists as more vehicles join the traffic every year.

Around 3.5 million vehicles were on Dubai’s roads daily in 2024, a 10 per cent increase over the past two years, according to Roads and Transport Authority data. The obsession with cars is fuelled by the availability of cheap petrol. As a result, many cars are occupied by a single person (60 per cent according to a survey), and car-pooling is not widespread. The result is gridlocks that force people to find new ways to circumvent traffic.

Koshy J. [name changed on request] leaves Sharjah at 5.30am to beat the traffic. But the freight-forwarding company employee in Dubai gets caught in the evening jam; he can’t dodge that. “Sometimes I spend two hours on the road to return home,” he laments.

That’s true for many who follow Koshy’s example. Residents working in Jebel Ali, Dubai Production City, and Dubai Internet City battle traffic daily to get to work and back. Much like millions in major cities worldwide.

A study commissioned by RoadSafetyUAE and Al Wathba Insurance showed that 86 per cent of 1,021 respondents across the UAE face traffic congestion. For 91 per cent of people in Dubai and 90 per cent in Sharjah, gridlocks are a regular occurrence.

Traffic jams are a modern reality — a fallout of rapid urban growth. Public transport is perhaps the best solution for traffic woes. Mass transit systems are the lifeblood of any major city, and the UAE’s are managed by local road transport authorities.

Each emirate has its own transport network: Dubai’s RTA, Abu Dhabi’s Mobility Centre, and Sharjah RTA’s Mowasalat provide affordable transport between the city, suburbs, and tourist spots. Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, and Fujairah also operate public transport networks. All offer taxis and intercity buses accessible via mobile apps. These help reduce private car use but still compete for road space.

That’s where rapid off-road mass transit comes in.

The Dubai Metro is a prime example. Shankar K. is one of the 275.4 million riders in 2024. An accountant in Dubai, he drives from Muhaisnah to Centrepoint Station in Rashidiya, parks there, and boards the Metro. An hour later, he alights at JLT and walks to his office. “Not only do I save on fuel and Salik, I don’t have to hunt for a parking slot, which is very difficult to find in JLT,” he said.

Shankar continues to use the Metro, as do thousands of passengers every day across the Red and Green Lines. The new Blue Line will cater to thousands more. Dubai also has a tram system linking Dubai Marina to Jumeirah Beach Residence, connecting with the Metro and Palm Monorail.

Should people ditch cars and use public transport? Is it feasible?

“In general, no, as the infrastructure is not yet there. Dubai Metro, for example, is already very crowded. More non-road-bound mass transportation options need to be created (more metro lines, train lines). The focus should be on rail-bound mass transit, including inter-emirate connections like Sharjah-Dubai,” Thomas Edelmann, Founder and Managing Director of RoadSafetyUAE, told Gulf News.

Inter-emirate train travel will become a reality when Etihad Rail launches services next year. A trip from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah will take less than two hours. When operational, the Abu Dhabi-Dubai high-speed train trip will take only half an hour.

Water transport is expanding too. Abu Dhabi’s ferries and water taxis link islands and hubs like Marsa Mina, Louvre Abu Dhabi, Yas Marina, Yas Waters Edge, and Yas Bay. Dubai’s marine network connects Deira, Bur Dubai, Ghubaiba, Dubai Canal, Bluewaters, Marina Mall, and Palm Jumeirah. Ajman runs abras as well.

The options are many, but all are packed during peak hours. This means public transport growth must keep pace with the development of cities. “The UAE is a young nation compared to cities with mature public transportation infrastructure, which grew over long periods. The UAE has to play catch-up and, in our opinion, prioritise this sector,” Edelmann said.

Air taxis are high on the priority list for Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Archer Aviation is spearheading Abu Dhabi’s initiative with electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Joby Aviation is working on bringing its eVTOLs to Dubai. Both companies could revolutionise urban mobility.

There’s no equivalent to the London Underground in the UAE yet. But Dubai is exploring underground travel with Elon Musk’s The Boring Company, which could eliminate much surface road traffic.

While these innovations are exciting, the last-mile challenge remains. How do you get from a station or vertiport to your destination? That’s where feeder buses come in. The RTA has successfully integrated them with the Metro network — similar systems could support Etihad Rail and air taxi networks.

For business travellers, on-demand cabs from vertiports might be a better fit. Increased frequency and shorter wait times for feeder buses would be ideal in a country with sweltering summers.

Inclement weather discourages people from using bicycles and e-scooters. Moreover, many roads lack dedicated lanes for these two-wheelers. Yet, for shorter distances, many use bikes and e-scooters to beat the traffic and save money.

For daily commutes, most people still prefer overland travel. Metros and trains appeal to those on a budget, while private cars offer convenience despite the time lost in traffic.

So, how do you convince people to switch?

Tolls. That’s the logic behind Salik in Dubai and Darb in Abu Dhabi. While Darb applies only during peak hours, Salik’s variable charges apply across major roads — except Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Road (E311), Emirates Road (E611), and Al Khaleej Road (which links Mamzar to Shindagha Tunnel and the Infinity Bridge). Yet, this hasn’t weaned people away from their cars.

What about other fixes?

Flexible work hours and remote work are being tested, but they’re not widespread. As the UAE’s economy and workforce grow, congestion is likely to persist — a common challenge for vibrant, fast-growing cities around the world.