Dubai traffic, live and by the clock
The map is live from Waze: red means stopped, yellow means slow. Under it, the honest schedule of when each major road actually jams, so you can plan around the city instead of sitting in it.
Route planner: how long will it take?
– min
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Every corridor, hour by hour
Each bar shows how slow that hour usually runs (taller coral bar = heavier jam). The current hour is outlined.
Live traffic right now
Live data by Waze. Pinch to zoom on mobile; drag towards Sharjah or Abu Dhabi to check the crossings.
Average rush hours, road by road
Working-week pattern (Monday to Friday). Weekends flip: mornings are clear, evenings crawl near malls, beaches and Global Village in season.
| Road | Morning jam | Evening jam | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sheikh Zayed Rd (E11) | 7:00–9:30 towards Downtown/DIFC | 5:00–7:30 both ways | Worst stretch: Mall of Emirates to Trade Centre |
| Al Khail Rd (E44) | 7:00–9:30 city-bound | 5:00–8:00 outbound | The usual "SZR is blocked" escape, so it blocks too |
| Emirates Rd / MBZ (E311) | 6:30–9:30 Sharjah→Dubai | 5:00–8:30 Dubai→Sharjah | The commuter artery; Fridays lighter |
| E611 (Emirates Bypass) | 7:00–9:00 mild | 5:30–7:30 mild | Longest route, most reliable speeds |
| Ittihad Rd (E11 to Sharjah) | 6:30–9:30 into Dubai, heavy | 4:30–8:30 into Sharjah, heaviest in UAE | Avoid entirely at peak; see our bus guides |
| Dubai–Abu Dhabi (E11 south) | 7:00–9:00 towards AD | 5:00–7:30 towards Dubai | Smooth otherwise; speed cameras every few km |
| Business Bay / Downtown internal | 8:00–10:00 | 5:00–8:00 + event nights | Fountain/concert evenings add 30–45 min |
Rules of thumb that save real time
- Leave before 6:45 am or after 10 am. The difference on E311 can be 45 minutes.
- Friday afternoon is the new Monday morning. Weekend exodus 3–7 pm towards Sharjah, RAK and Abu Dhabi.
- Rain = stay put. Even light rain doubles journey times citywide; postpone if you can.
- School runs matter: term-time Mondays are the heaviest mornings; July–August school holidays feel 30% lighter.
- Salik crossings (toll gates) jam first: Al Garhoud and Al Maktoum bridges at peak, AED 4–6 per pass dynamic. Toll-free workarounds live in our shortcuts section.
Tip: the ticker at the top of every page on this site shows the current rush-hour status, so you get a heads-up before you even open the map.
Skip the driving
Crossing emirates at peak? The E100/E101 buses use the same roads but let someone else fight them.