Salik and Darb, explained for visitors.

What is Salik?

Salik is Dubai’s road toll system. The name means “open” or “clear” in Arabic, which describes how it works: there are no booths and no barriers. Every Dubai-registered vehicle carries a small tag on the windscreen, and overhead gates read the tag as the car passes at normal speed. The toll is deducted from the vehicle’s prepaid account.

For visitors, the important point is that the toll belongs to the vehicle, not the passenger. You never need to register, buy a tag or stop at a gate. What changes from one way of travelling to another is who passes the cost on to you, and how clearly.

Where the Salik gates are

At the time of writing there are ten Salik gates, all on the busiest routes through the city:

• On Sheikh Zayed Road: Al Barsha, Al Safa North, Al Safa South and Jebel Ali
• Across or under Dubai Creek: Al Garhoud Bridge, Al Maktoum Bridge and the Airport Tunnel
• On Al Ittihad Road towards Sharjah: Al Mamzar North and Al Mamzar South
• On Al Khail Road: Business Bay Crossing

Gates are added from time to time as the road network grows, so treat this list as a guide rather than a permanent map. An airport run to Downtown Dubai may pass one gate or none, while a drive along Sheikh Zayed Road from the airport to Dubai Marina may pass two or three, depending on the route the driver takes.

When Salik charges

Since early 2025, Salik has used variable pricing. The toll is higher at the weekday peaks, in the morning and evening rush hours, lower through the rest of the day and evening, and free in the early hours, between about 1am and 6am. Different timings apply on Sundays and during Ramadan.

We do not list toll amounts here, because they are set by the authorities and can change. The useful thing to know is the pattern: a crossing at 8am on a Tuesday costs more than the same crossing at 2pm, and nothing at 3am. Most gates charge each time you pass, although some neighbouring pairs of gates count as a single crossing if you pass both within a short time.

Who pays Salik when you are a visitor

• Hire cars: the rental company pays the toll and recharges it to you, usually with an administration fee for each crossing. It appears on your final bill, often after you have returned the car.
• Taxis: the toll is added to the fare when the taxi passes a gate.
• Ride-hailing apps: tolls are built into the fare the app shows you.
• Chauffeur services: practice varies. Some add tolls afterwards; at Ivory Lane they are included in the fixed quote you approve before travel, so the price does not change with the route.

That last point matters more than it seems. When tolls are added afterwards, there is room for disagreement about routes. When they are included, the chauffeur simply takes the quickest road for the time of day.

What is Darb?

Darb is Abu Dhabi’s toll system. It works on the same free-flow principle as Salik, with gates that read vehicles as they pass, but the rules are different. Darb gates sit mainly on the bridges that carry traffic onto Abu Dhabi island, including Sheikh Zayed Bridge, Sheikh Khalifa Bridge, Al Maqtaa Bridge and Mussafah Bridge, and further gates have been added since the system began.

Under the current rules, Darb charges only at peak times: weekday mornings and afternoons, Monday to Saturday. Outside those hours, on Sundays and on public holidays, there is no charge. Cars registered in Dubai and the other emirates are charged too, not just Abu Dhabi vehicles.

Does Darb apply to my journey?

Often it does not. A transfer from Dubai to Zayed International Airport or Yas Island usually stays clear of the island bridges. A journey into central Abu Dhabi, such as the Corniche or Al Maryah Island, may well cross a gate, and if it does so in the peak hours, a toll applies.

With a chauffeur it makes no difference to you: on our Abu Dhabi transfers, Darb is included in the quote along with Salik. Our Grand Mosque day trip and Abu Dhabi airport transfer pages show typical journey times.

The other emirates

Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah do not currently charge road tolls. On a transfer from Dubai to Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah or Sharjah Airport, the only tolls you might pass are Salik gates on the way out of Dubai.

Ramadan and public holidays

During Ramadan, Salik’s peak and free periods shift to match the changed rhythm of the day, and Darb’s rules also change around public holidays. Both authorities announce the new timings in advance. If you are travelling with us, none of this affects your price, because tolls are included in the quote whatever the date. If you are driving yourself, check the current timings before a long day out.

If you do drive yourself

• Ask the rental company how it charges Salik and Darb, and whether there is an administration fee for each crossing
• Drive through the gates at normal speed; there are no booths and nothing to stop for
• Expect toll charges to appear after you return the car, sometimes several days later
• For Abu Dhabi, ask whether your hire car is registered for Darb, as the registered owner is responsible for the account

For a single trip to Abu Dhabi, Al Ain or the northern Emirates, a chauffeur with an all-inclusive quote is often simpler than a hire car, especially if you would rather not drive after a long day.

Parking: the other small charge

Tolls are not the only extra on a self-drive trip. Public street parking in Dubai is paid and managed by Parkin, with zones and hours shown on the signs; malls have their own car parks; and the airports charge by the hour. Hotels usually offer valet parking, sometimes for a fee. With a chauffeur, parking during the booking is part of the quote: the car waits in a car park or permitted area while you are inside, and you never deal with meters or parking apps.

Hire car, taxi or chauffeur?

For a single short ride across town, a taxi is simple and the toll is a small part of the fare. For a week of self-drive, a hire car makes sense if you are comfortable on Dubai’s roads, as long as you expect tolls and fees on the final bill. For airport arrivals, full days, intercity trips and any journey where you want to know the price before you set off, a chauffeur with an all-inclusive quote is the most predictable choice.

If you would like a fixed price for a particular journey, tell us the trip and the quote will list everything, tolls and parking included.

Related: Abu Dhabi & Intercity · Dubai to Abu Dhabi Airport (AUH) · Car with driver for a day · Guides · Book online