Salik timings in Dubai (2026): peak hours are 6am–10am and 4pm–8pm, Monday to Saturday, when each gate costs AED 6.30. Off-peak (10am–4pm and 8pm–1am) costs AED 4.20. Salik is free from 1am to 6am every day, and Sundays are a flat AED 4 all day. Use the calculator below to see what your own commute costs per day, month and year.
Salik stopped being a flat AED 4 charge and became a variable cost that depends on when you drive. For a daily commuter that shift is worth thousands of dirhams a year — in either direction, depending on your hours.
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Your actual Salik cost, from your real commute times
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Salik cost, charges and rates by time of day
| When | Rate per crossing |
|---|---|
| Peak — 6:00–10:00 and 16:00–20:00, Mon–Sat | AED 6.30 |
| Off-peak — 10:00–16:00 and 20:00–01:00 | AED 4.20 |
| Free — 01:00–06:00, every day | AED 0 |
| Sundays — all day | Flat AED 4 |
| Ramadan | Hours shift; free window extends to 02:00–07:00 |
Base rates are AED 6 and AED 4; the figures above include the 5% VAT applied from mid-2026. Public holidays are generally treated like Sundays.
Where the gates are
Dubai currently operates ten Salik gates, following the addition of Business Bay Crossing on Al Khail Road and Al Safa South on Sheikh Zayed Road in late 2024. They sit on the emirate’s busiest corridors:
- Sheikh Zayed Road — Al Safa North, Al Safa South, and the Jebel Ali gate near Ibn Battuta
- Creek crossings — Al Maktoum Bridge, Al Garhoud Bridge
- Al Khail Road — Business Bay Crossing
- Airport Tunnel, Al Barsha, and Al Mamzar North and South on Al Ittihad Road
You’ll find a small number of published guides claiming nine gates and others claiming thirteen. Ten is the figure consistent with RTA’s own announcements about the 2024 additions — but confirm on salik.ae if it matters to a route decision, since the network is actively expanding.
How to pay less, legitimately
- Shift your hours. The single largest lever, worth thousands a year on a multi-gate commute. If your employer is flexible, this is the conversation to have.
- Cross before 06:00. Completely free, every day.
- Batch errands onto Sundays, where the flat AED 4 applies all day.
- Check whether your gates are paired before rerouting to avoid one.
- Consider the metro for the commute and keep the car for weekends — an unlimited Silver Nol commute costs about AED 308 a month regardless of distance. See Public Transport.
Common questions
Is there a daily cap on Salik charges?
Sources disagree on this, and it matters if you drive a lot. Salik originally applied a six-crossing daily cap of AED 24, which was reported as removed in 2013 — yet some current guides still quote a cap as active. If your driving pattern would push you past six crossings in a day, check directly with Salik rather than relying on any published figure, including ours.
What happens if I drive through without a tag or with no balance?
Salik operates without barriers, so you’ll pass through regardless — and a violation is recorded. There’s typically a short grace period to top up before a penalty applies. Set up auto-recharge; the fine costs considerably more than the toll.
Do taxis and ride-hailing charge me for Salik?
Yes — gates crossed during your trip are added to the fare. It’s why two rides of similar distance can bill quite differently, and worth knowing before you assume a quoted fare is final.
Does Salik apply outside Dubai?
No. Salik is Dubai only. Abu Dhabi runs a separate system called Darb, with its own rates and rules. Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have no toll system. If you commute across emirate lines, budget for the Dubai gates only — but budget for all of them.
I’m renting a car. Whose Salik account is it on?
The rental company’s, and they recharge you — usually with an administration fee per crossing on top of the toll. Ask what that markup is before you take the car; on a week of heavy driving it can add up to more than the tolls themselves.
Last verified 12 September 2026. Published information about Salik varies considerably between sources on gate count, the exact date variable pricing began, and whether a daily cap applies — much of it from car rental and driving-school sites rather than the RTA. Confirm current rates, gate locations and account rules at salik.ae or through the Salik app before making a commuting or housing decision on the strength of it.
Related Guides
- Public Transport — the full metro-versus-driving comparison, worked out monthly
- Rent & Tenant Rights — why cheaper rent further out often costs more once you add tolls
- Traffic Fines & Black Points — what happens when a violation isn’t just a fine
- Money Saving Guide — where commuting sits in a realistic household budget