Dubai announces free public parking on January 1, 2026; RTA reveals New Year service timings

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has announced free public parking across the emirate on January 1, 2026, except for multi-storey facilities and Al Khail Gate (N-365). Parking fees will resume on Friday, January 2.

Intercity bus services will also be adjusted for the New Year holiday. Route E100 will stop operating from Al Ghubaiba Bus Station from the afternoon of December 31, with the last trips at 12 noon from Abu Dhabi and 2pm from Al Ghubaiba. Services will remain suspended until January 4, 2026, and passengers are advised to use Route E101 from Ibn Battuta Bus Station during this period. Route E102 will operate from Ibn Battuta Bus Station on December 31 from 2pm until the end of the day.

Dubai Metro services on the Red and Green Lines will run continuously for nearly 43 hours, from 5am on December 31, 2025, until 11.59pm on January 1, 2026. Dubai Tram services will operate from 6am on December 31 to 1am on January 1.

All vehicle testing centres and RTA Customer Happiness Centres will be closed on January 1, with normal operations resuming on January 2. However, Smart Customer Happiness Areas at Al Barsha, Al Twar, Al Kifaf and the RTA headquarters will continue operating 24 hours as usual.