Parking Dubai

Parking on the street or in a car park?

Usually parking in Dubai is easy and it doesn't take a lot of effort to find a spot, because there there are many parking places available at the most popular locations. Both in the streets and in the car parks you can quickly find a place, although it can be a challenge in the Bur Dubai and Deira districts in the historic part of Dubai. In most cases it is not necessary to park in the street, because there is car park available at most of the major attractions and sights.

On street parking in Dubai

Street parking in Dubai is free in many places, but at busier places you have to pay at the parking machine. In those cases signs clearly indicate that you have to pay for parking. In the historic center it is difficult to park your car on the streets, because there are not many places. Fortunately there are a number of car parks available as well. You can pay with cash at the parking machine, but also with a Nol public transport card, with your mobile phone or with a pre-paid parking ticket that you can purchase at supermarkets and other locations. Make sure you are back in time at your car, because there is strict control and you don't want to get fined. In some places like the JBR beach you won't find parking machines on the streets, but you have to pay a fixed fee at a kiosk. This is clearly indicated with signs.

SMS parking in Dubai

Dubai is a modern city and that means you can also pay with your mobile for parking. In many places you can use the so-called SMS parking, but that only works if you have a telephone number registered in the United Arab Emirates. In addition, it is necessary to register your car in advance, when your car does not have a United Arab Emirates license plate. Paid parking with SMS is very easy because you just have to send an SMS with the area code when you park your car. When sending the SMS you also have to specify how long you want to park, which means you pay in advance and not afterwards. You can get notifications when your parking time has expired, so that you can pay on time without being fined.

Public car parks in Dubai

Major parking lots or parking garages are available at most major attractions and sights in Dubai. This is the case, for example, at all major shopping centers in Dubai, but also at the theme parks, the beaches and at Dubai Marina. The parking garages are modern, covered and secured. In many cases you can park for free, but that is not always the case. For example, at the JBR beach you pay a fixed amount regardless of how long you park. Keep this in mind, because it may be unfavorable to park your car briefly. You can pay with cash or with your NOL ov-chip card when collecting your car. Sometimes you pay at a parking machine, but in other cases you pay at a cash register.