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5/10/24, 9:12 AM Dubai traffic: why your journey in Dubai is taking longer | Time Out Dubai
By Time Out Editors May 9, 2024

If you’re ever stumped for something to say or need to make small talk, the outrageous situation with
traffic in Dubai right now is a good place to start.

Just like the Brits love to chat about the weather, UAE residents cannot stop talking about the traffic in
Dubai.

You’d have to be living under a rock not to spot that our roads seem more congested than ever.

And as the Dubai Executive Council announces new measures to cut traffic, including encouraging
remote work and flexible hours, there’s no better time to look at why our roads are so clogged.

We’re not ones for idle conversation, so we’ve discovered the real reasons why traffic in Dubai is so
heavy right now, and why your journeys are taking longer than ever.

Funnily enough, it’s all for very good reasons.

Number one, there are more people living in Dubai than ever before.

According to the Dubai Statistics Centre, the Dubai population now is 3,604,030 (as of July 2023).
Using the same calculator, in July 2022 the population was 3,515,264, marking a rise of 88,766 from
the last recorded statistics. Phew.

November is also one of the peak tourism periods in Dubai, meaning even more people in the city
temporarily.

How is this translating into more traffic in Dubai?

Ride-hailing app Careem recorded a 23 percent rise in trips in the UAE from January 2023 to
October 2023, compared to the same period in 2022.

At the same time, dynamic pricing on Dubai toll gates (Salik) has been introduced in a bid to reduce
rush hour delays.

There were 461.4 million Salik trips by the end of 2023, a 11.7 per cent increase from the previous
year.

Traffic may be irritating (especially when a journey that used to take you ten minutes on the road now
takes 20), but another reason behind the delays is actually down to it being easier than ever to get a
driving licence. All part of the city’s commitment to inclusivity and opportunities for residents.

Since January 2023, several initiatives have allowed more people to have access to driving in the city.

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