RTA Announces Free Public Parking in Dubai for New Year’s Day 2026

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has confirmed free public parking on New Year’s Day 2026 in Dubai, as part of its holiday service schedule for the year-end period. Public parking across the city will be free of charge on Thursday, January 1st, 2026, with the exception of multi-storey parking facilities and the Al Khail Gate area (N-365).

Normal parking fees will resume on Friday, January 2nd. The announcement was made alongside a series of transport and service updates aimed at managing movement across the city during New Year celebrations. Dubai Metro services on both the Red and Green Lines will operate continuously for nearly 43 hours, running from 5 AM, on Wednesday, December 31st, 2025, through to 11.59 PM on Thursday, January 1st, 2026. Dubai Tram services will also be extended, operating from 6 AM on December 31st until 1 AM on January 1st.

Intercity bus services will see temporary changes. Route E100, operating between Al Ghubaiba Bus Station and Abu Dhabi, will stop running from the afternoon of December 31, with its final trips departing at 12 noon from Abu Dhabi and 2 PM from Al Ghubaiba. The service will remain suspended until January 4th, 2026. Passengers travelling to Abu Dhabi during this period have been advised to use Route E101 from Ibn Battuta Bus Station. Route E102 will operate from Ibn Battuta on December 31st from 2 PM until the end of the day. Several RTA services will pause for the public holiday.

All vehicle testing centres and Customer Happiness Centres will be closed on January 1st, with regular operations resuming on January 2nd. However, Smart Customer Happiness Areas at Al Barsha, Al Twar, Al Kifaf and the RTA headquarters will continue operating 24 hours a day throughout the holiday.