Travel Times & Traffic
Dubai is an amazing city however peek time traffic can be worse than Athens or London in the rush hour. If you are on holiday try to avoid travelling during these chaotic periods.
Dubai over the last 20 years has built an impressive road network; it has more than doubled and continues to grow. The only problem relates to the Creek which runs through the middle of the two main districts. The reason traffic is so hectic at rush hour is due to 8 lane highways becoming three lanes crossing the Creek. Major development exists around the Creek as new bridges are being built to accommodate the main road arteries from one side to the other, this will eventually reduce the horrendous traffic jams during rush hour.
Dubai is also introducing a new metro system to rival any in the world. The system is due for completion in September 2009, and the final phase in March 2010. In the less congested areas of the city the metro will run on an elevated viaduct, the longest stretch will be 52km from Rashidiya to Jebel Ali. There are also plans to extend to the Abu Dhabi border. There will be 24 elevated stations and 4 underground stations. There is a future plan for an express service to run between Dubai International and Jebel Ali airports. To assist with Global Warming the Dubai Metro runs wholly on an electrical traction system, this means there are no gas emissions plus no noise pollution and no drain on the worlds oil supply. The Metro system is needed to assist in the rapid growth with the business hub and tourist areas of Dubai. As with all other projects in this fantastic city the Metro will be a truly magnificent integrated transport system.
Travel times in Dubai depend on where you are staying. There are 3 main areas, the Beach, the City, and the Marina. For instance if you were travelling to the Gold Souk from the beach expect to sit in traffic for 40 minutes off peak and up to 2hrs
40 minutes during the rush hour. Most tourists are put off by the excessive traffic congestion however various shopping centres are situated on route and can act as a break in the journey. Your hotel will advise you of the best times to travel and interesting shopping malls on the way. All the shopping malls can be found on our shopping mall section.
Whilst visiting Dubai you will quickly learn the main areas for tourists;
- Deira is where the Gold and Spice Souk are situated.
- Bur Dubai is where you will find local historic sites.
- Jumeirah is where many beach hotels are situated.
- Dubai Marina hosts many beach hotels along with the up and coming marina itself
- Jebel Ali is an area under major construction.
- Sheikh Zayed Road. This is the main road running from the city to the beach area.
