Dubai motorists will ring in the new year with free parking after authorities waived fees for the public holiday on January 1.
Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority announced charges would not be levied in public parking area – except at multi-storey car parks – on New Year's Day, with tariffs being reinstated on January 2.
January 1 was confirmed to be a public holiday for both federal government workers and the private sector by the government last week.
New Year's Day, as observed on the Gregorian calendar, was among the public holiday dates already set out for 2025 by the UAE Cabinet. These include Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha, two days of celebrations for Eid Al Etihad, also known as National Day, as well as the Islamic, or Hijri New Year.
The public holiday will be welcomed by employees who plan to take part in New Year's Eve festivities being organised across the country, including concerts and fireworks. The fireworks show at Dubai's Burj Khalifa will once more be a major highlight as thousands see in 2025.
Public transport timetable
The RTA has also revised public transport timetables for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.
The Burj Khalifa Dubai Mall Metro station will be closed from 5pm on December 31, or when the capacity limits are exceeded.
The rest of the Dubai Metro network will operate continuously from 5am on December 31 until 11.59pm on Wednesday, January 1.
The Dubai Tram will be in service from 6am on December 31 until 1am on January 2.
The RTA encouraged residents to use the S'hail app for updates on public bus schedules during the holiday period.
But it noted that the E100 from Al Ghubaiba Bus Station will not operate on December 31 and January 1, with passengers advised to use the E101 from Ibn Battuta Bus Station to Abu Dhabi during this period.
The E102 from Al Jafiliya Bus Station will also be off the road on December 31 and January 1. Passengers are asked to use the same route from Ibn Battuta Bus Station to Musaffah on these days.
Road closures
Hussain Al Banna, executive director of traffic at Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority, detailed Dubai's road closure plans on December 31 at a press conference this week.
“All roads leading to Burj Khalifa will be closed on December 31 [in the] evening,” he said.
The following roads will be closed from 4pm on December 31: Al Asayel Road; Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard; Burj Khalifa Street; Lower Financial Centre Street; and Mustaqbal Street, between the intersection of Financial Centre Street and World Trade Centre Street.
Sukuk Street will be shut to traffic from 8pm, with Upper Financial Centre Street closing at 9pm.
By 11pm, Sheikh Zayed Road will begin to close gradually between the intersections of Al Meydan Street and the Trade Centre Roundabout.
Mr Al Banna said 29,600 taxis and limousines will be in operation to meet high demand, with additional buses sent to high-traffic zones, while operations rooms will monitor public transport usage and traffic signals.
Dubai's New Year's Eve celebrations - in pictures
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Global Village celebrates 'night of seven midnights' with thousands of revellers. All photos: Global Village -
Celebrations started at 8pm, to coincide with midnight in the Philippines -
The park marked the beginning of 2023 in Thailand, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, the UAE and Turkey every hour after that -
Each country had its own signature fireworks display and a dedicated countdown -
Firework displays lasted seven minutes each -
A DJ was there to entertain, alongside on-stage performances -
Thousands of visitors of all ages showed up -
The party ended at 2am
