- Traffic announcements and informationTraffic announcements and information
- How to Avoid traffic in DubaiHow to Avoid traffic in Dubai
- Use Navigation Apps or MapsUse Navigation Apps or Maps
- Mobile apps on how to avoid trafficMobile apps on how to avoid traffic
- 1. S'hail1. S'hail
- 2. Google Maps2. Google Maps
- 3. Waze3. Waze
- 4. Maps Me4. Maps Me
- 5. RTA Smart Drive5. RTA Smart Drive
- 6. Makani6. Makani
Dubai is the best place to celebrate New Year’s Eve 2025.
If you’ve been living in Dubai for a while, then you know how lively & colorful the city looks during the last week of December.
Even if you’re visiting Dubai for the first time, you’ll be mesmerized by the glittering display of lights, festive decorations, and vibrant energy that fills every corner of Dubai on New Year’s Eve. Watch last year’s dazzling fireworks show at the iconic Burj Khalifa.
Every year, on 31 December, as the clock strikes midnight, the whole city erupts in joy to welcome the New Year. Sparkling lights superbly illuminate the entire city. Breathtaking fireworks light up the skyline. Decorated Dubai streets, iconic landmarks & majestic tall buildings transform Dubai into a dazzling wonderland. A purely magical atmosphere unfolds across the city.
Excited people flock to different parts of the city to experience the magic of New Year’s Eve. Over 1.6 million tourists visited Dubai for the holiday season in 2023 alone & a record 1.7 million people turned out to watch the New Year’s Eve at Downtown Dubai. These staggering figures confirm Dubai’s status as a premier destination for New Year’s celebrations.
However, with all this glamour comes a major challenge—traffic.
With over a million people flocking to popular spots simultaneously, traffic & congestion can lead to hours of gridlock. This happens every YEAR. The New Year’s Eve of 2025 would be no different. Traffic can drain your energy. Burn all your New Year excitement. It could spoil your new year plans as well. That’s why knowing how to avoid traffic in Dubai on New Year’s Eve 2025 is crucial.
To avoid traffic, planning ahead is key – given the notorious Dubai traffic on New Year’s Eve. By following some simple steps, you can learn how to avoid traffic in Dubai on New Year’s Eve 2025 and make the most of your celebrations.
In this blog, we help you with some tips to beat the Dubai traffic on New Year’s Eve 2025.
Before we dive deeper, let’s look into any announcements about new traffic laws, road closures or any other guidelines for 31st December 2024.
1. New Salik Toll Gates in Dubai to cost 8 Dirham daily for commuters. Located on Business Bay Crossing, the toll gate is expected to impact several routes, including those connecting Sharjah, northern Dubai neighbourhoods, and major business districts.
2. Beirut Street expansion and traffic improvement plan completed. The recent expansion will directly increase the street’s capacity from 4,500 to 6,000 vehicles per hour in the northbound direction. This measure optimises traffic flow and reduces delays during evening peak hours along the stretch from Al Nahda Street to Amman Street, cutting travel time by over 30% and reducing the journey duration from 18 minutes to just 12 minutes.
3. Starting 29 November 2024, Dubai’s Roads, and Transport Authority (RTA) will launch three public bus routes, including Route 108, which directly connects Satwa Bus Station to Global Village.
4. Dubai’s Al Maktoum Bridge will be closed during certain hours until January 16, 2025, for maintenance.
5. For those planning to spend New Year’s Eve 2025 on Palm Jumeirah, The Palm Monorail will be open from 9am on 31 December 2024 until 3am on 1 January 2025.
6. There may also be free shuttle bus services from Nakheel Mall, from 8pm to 3am, for those who want to watch the fireworks from a prime waterfront vantage point
7. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard will be closed from around 6pm onwards.
8. Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Metro Station could close anytime between 2pm and 10pm, depending on the capacity at Dubai Mall
Let’s begin now
HERE ARE SOME WAYS TO AVOID TRAFFIC IN DUBAI.
We are going to discuss this in two sections
- Beat the traffic by being smart 😎
- Being smart about the traffic by using mobile apps 📱
1. HOW TO AVOID TRAFFIC IN DUBAI BY ACTING SMART
Navigating Dubai traffic can be a challenge, especially around popular spots.
New Year’s Eve 2025 is falling on Tuesday – a working day in Dubai.
You can expect heavy traffic during peak hours on 31 December 2024. So, be smart & plan your commute wisely to avoid traffic in Dubai on New Year’s Eve 2025.
Follow the below actionable tips to beat the traffic on New Year’s Eve 2025.
Avoid Rush Hours (No brainer 🧠❌ but still works)
The simplest way to beat traffic on Dubai New Year’s Eve 2025 is to avoid commuting during the peak hours.
Avoid popular spots like Burj Khalifa, Downtown Dubai, Palm Jumeirah, Global Village after 4pm to avoid congestion & traffic delays. If you want to avoid traffic in Dubai on New Year’s Eve 2025, timing is everything.
If you’re a Dubai local or an expatriate, you must be familiar with the traffic on your regular route. If your route is busiest from 8 AM to 11 AM, & from 6 PM TO 9 PM, arrive early & leave later.
If you commute daily from Sharjah to Dubai, then follow these tips to avoid traffic in Dubai on New Year’s Eve 2025.
- Avoid the busy Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road and E311 (Emirates Road)
- Use alternate paths like Al Dhaid Road (E88)
- Park your car at Etisalat Metro Station or Al Qusais Metro Station and use the Dubai Metro to commute
- Use public transport like Dubai metro, tram or Bus
- Stay overnight in Dubai
- Leave Dubai only after 2 am
With little planning, you can smartly navigate the Dubai traffic on New Year’s Eve 2025.
Find and Memorize Alternate Routes 😎
The Dubai government invests huge money to upgrade its infrastructure.
They constantly construct and enhance roads to improve living conditions and ease transportation.
Construction of two major bridges were completed in September 2024. These newly constructed bridges may significantly slash Dubai to Sharjah traffic by 70%. Knowing how to avoid traffic in Dubai on New Year’s Eve 2025 means staying updated on such developments
Almost every destination in Dubai has multiple routes to reach, either by road, bus or metro.
Use navigation apps to discover alternate routes. Once you find them, memorize these paths so you can use them when your usual route is cluttered.
Dubai New Year’s Eve is a perfect time to explore new alternate routes. These alternate routes will help you whenever you encounter traffic and congestion challenges and help you avoid traffic in Dubai on New Year’s Eve 2025,
Use Public Transport (Metro/ Tram) 🚊
Worried about Dubai’s traffic on New Year’s Eve & planning to stay home?
Dubai’s public transport comes to your rescue. If you’re wondering how to avoid traffic in Dubai on New Year’s Eve 2025, the answer is simple—use public transport.
Prove me wrong if you can but Dubai has the easiest, safest & affordable public transport. That includes fully air-conditioned buses, trams, metros, boats, taxis, and even helicopters etc.
You can park your vehicles at metro stations and then continue your journey via Bus/metro/tram. Using Public transport can save your energy & time. Additionally, you’ll be free of any vehicle parking related stress on New Year’s Eve.
A major benefit of using public transport is its specific and fixed schedule. You can plan your commute with ease. And you won’t have to worry about arriving late or too early.
The most popular public transport in Dubai are Buses and Metros. By choosing public transport, you’ll avoid traffic in Dubai on New Year’s Eve 2025, and enjoy a traffic free commute.
You: Ok, fine I know all of these already, tell me something more exciting.
Us: Say no more! Keep reading
Quick & easy ways to avoid traffic in Dubai on New Year's Eve 2025? 🎇🎆🎉✨🎡
Locals & expatriates are aware of the routes to avoid during the Dubai New Year’s Eve 2025.
However, the first time visitors may struggle with congestion, heavy traffic, long delays, road closures, and difficulty finding parking.
Traffic around popular spots like Burj Khalifa, Downtown Dubai, Palm Jumeirah, and Festival City etc may leave the first time visitors wondering how to avoid traffic in Dubai on New Year’s Eve 2025.
On New Year’s Eve 2025, almost every Dubai road will be jam packed. Shaikh Zayed Road, the common route connecting key locations across the city, will be the busiest of all.
Follow the below tips to to avoid traffic in Dubai on New Year’s Eve 2025:
Avoid Downtown Chaos
Downtown Dubai will be a hotspot. Roads around the Burj Khalifa may be blocked as crowds gather for the iconic fireworks. Plan accordingly.
Leave Early, Stay Late
Start your journey early. Beat the rush. After the celebrations, stay a little longer at your location to avoid post-event traffic jams.
Choose Alternative Routes
Al Khail Road is a great option. It’s less crowded and offers good views of the fireworks. Just make sure off-road parking is allowed, or use a paid parking spot nearby.
Find Quiet Firework Spots
You don’t have to be in the middle of the crowd to enjoy the fireworks. Many places in Dubai put on a dazzling display. Some top spots include:
- Downtown
- Burj Al Arab
- Palm Atlantis
- Ain Dubai
- Bluewaters Island
- Dubai Creek
- Festival City
- Global Village
Pick a location that’s quiet, convenient and less crowded. Check this video to know how to get the best view of the Burj Khalifa Firework show.
Use Public Transport
RTA Dubai offers extended Metro, Tram, and Bus services on New Year’s Eve. Using public transport is a great way to know how to avoid traffic in Dubai on New Year’s Eve 2025. The Metro runs late, covering areas like Downtown. Download the RTA app for real-time updates and schedules.
Consider Ras Al Khaimah
If you’re looking for a peaceful spot away from the noise of Dubai, then head to less crowded Ras Al Khaimah to enjoy a stunning fireworks display.
Ras Al Khaimah is just a short drive & worth exploring on New Year’s Eve 2025.
Their fireworks are nothing short of spectacular, earning them Guinness World Records for
- Most Remote Operated Multirotors/Drones Launching Fireworks Simultaneously 🎇
- Highest Altitude Multirotor/Drone Fireworks Display (A tower of fireworks 1,055.8 metres high, taller than any skyscraper in the world) 🗼
Beach Camping
Want something simple yet enjoyable?
Try beach camping.
Beach offers an affordable and relaxed environment with clear skies to enjoy the fireworks. Bring binoculars if you’re far from the action.
Stay Updated
Road closures are common. Follow Dubai Police, Khaleej Times or Gulf News for the latest updates. Use apps like Google Maps, Waze, or RTA Smart Drive to navigate smoothly.
By planning ahead and following these tips, you’ll know exactly how to avoid traffic in Dubai on New Year’s Eve 2025.
Now let’s talk about how to use technology in a smart way to avoid traffic in Dubai
2. USE NAVIGATION APPS OR MAPS TO AVOID TRAFFIC
Being tech-savvy gives you a clear edge in today’s digital world.
Information is just a click away, thanks to Google and various apps that are incredibly easy to use.
It’s quick to find what we need. Whether you’re looking for answers, navigating traffic or finding a location, many user-friendly tools & apps are at your fingertips. Use technology to avoid traffic in Dubai on New Year’s Eve 2025.
In Dubai, you’ve Google Maps & other navigation tools for location sharing, tracking routes, finding location details, Estimates time of reaching (ETA), real-time traffic updates, reroutes based on road conditions, etc
We understand that you’re familiar with all the routes throughout the city. And you’re likely to stick to your preferred path for your daily commute. We also understand that you might not want to rely too much on technology.
However, we advise you to use navigation apps that work with technology-based on GPS and let you know about the traffic status before you take on that route.
Real time traffic updates allow you to optimize your commute accordingly. You will be aware of the journey, and the traffic by the color of the navigation routes, particularly in Google Maps, you get blue navigation when the traffic is normal, yellow when the traffic is moderate, and red when you have heavy traffic ahead. So leverage navigation apps and other tools to avoid traffic in Dubai on New Year’s Eve 2025
5 Mobile apps on how to avoid traffic in Dubai
Want to make your Dubai New Year’s Eve 2025 traffic free?
Then use the following apps while you are driving in Dubai to avoid traffic in Dubai on New Year’s Eve 2025 with ease.
1. S’hail
Let’s explore them one by one.
1. S’hail
S’hail app is a comprehensive travel solution for Dubai people.
The app is developed by the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). It’s a user-friendly app, designed as a one-stop solution for all your transport needs in Dubai.
It provides real-time updates on public transportation, along with different modes of transport, including buses, the metro, marine transport, taxis, and even cycling.
We recommend you log in to the app using your RTA account to access all the features. There is a guest login option available for those who don’t have an RTA account but the features are limited.
The S’hail app is available on the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, and Huawei AppGallery.
2. Google Maps
Google maps is the juggernaut when it comes to navigation apps
It is also the most common navigation application used in Dubai
Google maps provide you with different routes for your destination with the estimated time to reach.
You can also compare the different times taken at different routes
It also provides you real time traffic updates and indicators if any road is blocked due to maintenance
So by using these three features (if not all) you can try to plan your outing. You can decide on a better route and timing to reach your destination.
Pro Tip 1:
When you search for any directions, Google Maps will show you the best possible route along with other routes you can take.
The best possible route is based on the time taken to reach your destination and not based on the distance between the source and the destination.
So for example, a route may look longer, but due to less traffic on that route, you may reach earlier than the route which appears shorter, but has more traffic etc.
So in a nutshell, in most cases just follow the route which Google is suggesting
Google has lots of data that they collect everyday from app usage and from authorities and other third party service providers to elevate the overall experience of the app
Pro Tip 2:
When you are searching for the best route for your destination, pay attention to the ‘Time‘ tab.
Google by default calculates the Estimated time to reach considering that you are going to leave immediately.
So if you want to leave at any other time, change the time of leaving and you may get different suggestion
3. WAZE
Waze is a navigation app that lets you know about the traffic, construction sites in the route, and the crashes.
If the Waze app detects that there is too much traffic on your path, it will navigate you towards a different route with less traffic.
4. Maps Me
This app is great for offline navigation. When you are low on data, you can try this one
It stores the routes and helps you navigate without consuming your data. So it is recommended you update the maps when you have a proper internet connection.
The app also includes direction to point of interest (POI), hiking trails and places missing from other maps
5. RTA Smart Drive
RTA Smart Drive app is provided by Dubai Roads and Transport Authority.
This app aims to provide fast, easy, and simple navigation for the users and residents of Dubai.
It provides clear voice and visual instructions along with other features that help in beating the traffic like automatic rerouting and speed limit alerts.
6. Makani
Makani App runs on Dubai’s satellite location and navigation system. It is an attempt to record every place and location in Dubai. Makani app is also a good option to help you in navigating. But most Dubai users use either Google Maps or Waze
Note: if you use an iPhone, you would most probably use the default application, but it is worth mentioning that some of the functions and features of the Apple Maps have been restricted by the UAE.
Ready to rock New Year’s Eve 2025? Let’s make it unforgettable!
So this was it from our side for now.
Do you have any other tips for beating the traffic in Dubai, then let us know in the comments
If you are in JBR or Dubai Marina & planning to celebrate New Year’s Eve at #Expo2020, use #DubaiTram to reach the exhibition site to one of the Interchange Stations via #DubaiMetro & depart via the metro towards Expo 2020 Station to reach your destination. #MyDubaiNewYear pic.twitter.com/oH54byHp3W
— RTA (@rta_dubai) December 30, 2021
If you are in JBR or Dubai Marina & planning to celebrate New Year’s Eve at #Expo2020, use #DubaiTram to reach the exhibition site to one of the Interchange Stations via #DubaiMetro & depart via the metro towards Expo 2020 Station to reach your destination. #MyDubaiNewYear pic.twitter.com/oH54byHp3W
— RTA (@rta_dubai) December 30, 2021
Wrap Up - How To Avoid Traffic in Dubai on New Year’s Eve 2025
New Year’s Eve 2025 is the most anticipated event of the year. Millions turn to iconic Burj Khalifa & other glamorous spots in Dubai to witness the glittering fireworks display. With a variety of locations to enjoy, dine, shop, relax & party, New Year’s Eve 2025 is really a great time to be in Dubai. However, Dubai has witnessed a significant rise in visitors during the New Year’s Eve. The number can touch millions. With more than a million people flocking to popular spots simultaneously, the city’s streets can become extremely congested. Traffic jams, overcrowded public transport, and long queues are common challenges faced by people during New Year’s Eve. But don’t worry, you can avoid traffic in Dubai on New Year’s Eve 2025. Follow the above actionable steps and navigate Dubai traffic like a pro. Planning is key in beating the traffic but more importantly, avoid commuting during peak hours, find and memorize alternate routes, use public transport like bus, metro or tram, use google maps and other navigation apps like s’hail, waze, maps me, RTA smart drive, makani etc. With these tips, you’ll know how to avoid traffic in Dubai on New Year’s Eve 2025 and enjoy a traffic-free commute.
