Dubai’s road-toll operator Salik confirmed on 16 February 2026 that it will introduce temporary, off-peak pricing throughout the holy month of Ramadan, expected to start around 18–19 February. From 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. each day, motorists will pay AED 4 instead of the usual AED 6 when passing any of Dubai’s ten Salik gates. Peak-rate windows shift to 9 a.m.–5 p.m., while the 2 a.m.–7 a.m. band remains free of charge.
The adjustment aligns with shortened government-office and school hours and is designed to ease evening congestion as residents travel to iftar gatherings or tarawih prayers. Salik, now listed on the Dubai Financial Market, says it has modelled the tariff change to remain revenue-neutral by smoothing hourly traffic loads rather than stimulating extra demand.
![Dubai’s Salik Cuts Toll Fees for Iftar Commutes During Ramadan 2026]()
For companies running staff shuttles or managing grey-fleet vehicles, the lower fees create an incentive to schedule customer visits and inter-office trips after 5 p.m., potentially trimming mobility budgets during the month. Logistics operators that rely on just-in-time delivery may also benefit from freer flow on Emirates Road and Sheikh Zayed Road in the late afternoon.
Salik will push real-time alerts through its mobile app and variable-message signs, and HR departments are being urged to remind expatriate assignees—especially first-time observers of Ramadan—of the change in local driving patterns and the importance of allowing extra travel time before sunset.
Although the measure is temporary, it feeds into Dubai’s broader strategy of introducing dynamic, demand-based road pricing. Analysts say this year’s Ramadan experiment will provide valuable data ahead of an expected rollout of variable tariffs around Expo City and other growth corridors in 2027.
The adjustment aligns with shortened government-office and school hours and is designed to ease evening congestion as residents travel to iftar gatherings or tarawih prayers. Salik, now listed on the Dubai Financial Market, says it has modelled the tariff change to remain revenue-neutral by smoothing hourly traffic loads rather than stimulating extra demand.
For companies running staff shuttles or managing grey-fleet vehicles, the lower fees create an incentive to schedule customer visits and inter-office trips after 5 p.m., potentially trimming mobility budgets during the month. Logistics operators that rely on just-in-time delivery may also benefit from freer flow on Emirates Road and Sheikh Zayed Road in the late afternoon.
Salik will push real-time alerts through its mobile app and variable-message signs, and HR departments are being urged to remind expatriate assignees—especially first-time observers of Ramadan—of the change in local driving patterns and the importance of allowing extra travel time before sunset.
Although the measure is temporary, it feeds into Dubai’s broader strategy of introducing dynamic, demand-based road pricing. Analysts say this year’s Ramadan experiment will provide valuable data ahead of an expected rollout of variable tariffs around Expo City and other growth corridors in 2027.
Source: The National
