Sheikh Zayed Road

Sheikh Zayed Road (SZR) is known as one of the main highways in Dubai and the road that connects the seven emirates. SZR not only is the busiest road in Dubai, but it also has many high-rise buildings that house residential apartments and serviced hotel apartments. The area is always bustling and is popular amongst working professionals due to its proximity to many business hubs. But what is it like living on Sheikh Zayed Road? This area guide discusses everything in detail.

• One of the prominent highways in the UAE
• Best known as the E11 highway connecting the two largest cities of UAE; Dubai and Abu Dhabi
• Stretches from Dubai to the other emirates
• Home to many high-rise residential skyscrapers
• Stretches to 558.44 km from Abu Dhabi to Ras Al Khaimah
• It has different names across the other emirates

Known to be the longest road in the UAE, construction for Sheikh Zayed Road began in 1971. The highway was completed in 1980. The road is named after the then President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, His Highness Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. SZR starts as the Abu Dhabi – Ghweifat International Highway at the Abu Dhabi – Saudi border and ends as the Al Manama – Ras Al Khaimah Road at the Ras Al Khaimah Oman border.

Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai starts from the interchange near the Oud Metha area to the Jebel Ali near the Dubai – Abu Dhabi border. It runs through the heart of the emirate along with the Dubai World Trade Centre, Emirates Towers, Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa and many more landmarks. The buildings situated along the road from the Trade Centre area to Business Bay are considered to be on Sheikh Zayed Road. These buildings not only offer a high standard of living but also come with many luxurious amenities nearby. The iconic Maze Tower and Ghaya Residence are situated on the same road.

SZR runs along with many commercial and residential communities and provides easy access to several amenities. The buildings on Sheikh Zayed Road are popular among families and individuals alike. While the area is popular among renters, investors will find a few freehold options in the new developments.

If you are thinking about renting apartments on Sheikh Zayed Road, you may come across a range of affordable to luxurious options. The prices of properties are variable as there are numerous sub-communities involved, all offering different amenities and conveniences.

Further, the area is home to several sky-high apartments featuring residential units ranging from studios and 1 to 4-bedroom flats, as well as penthouses. There are also hotel apartments, fully serviced and managed by renowned hospitality groups.

Most apartments in this area are centrally air-conditioned and have a central heating system as well. There are modern apartments for rent on SZR offering reserved parking spaces and uninterrupted lifestyle amenities. The shared facilities include swimming pools, kid’s play areas, BBQ areas, activity areas and covered parking. The apartments are spacious with a big hall and a balcony with a nice view of other residential towers on the road down below. Some buildings offer views of the Burj Khalifa.

As per the sourced data from the Dubai Land Department (DLD), over 13,000 rental transactions in Sheikh Zayed Road were made in the past 12 months. During the same timeframe, properties sold in Sheikh Zayed Road amounts to AED 1.1B as per Dubai Transactions Data.

One can also find some offices for rent on Sheikh Zayed Road. These commercial properties range from small offices to full-floor units. There are many types of commercial properties on Sheikh Zayed Road such as fitted offices, shell-and-core units, furnished spaces, retail stores and showrooms.

SZR is an arterial highway that connects major areas of the UAE. It houses many different property types, communities and landmarks. While planning to move here, the decision might get a little overwhelming so check out the popular buildings on Sheikh Zayed Road to get an apartment.

Those looking for SZR floor plans can browse through the floor plans available for popular buildings on Sheikh Zayed Road.

Several grand hotels on Sheikh Zayed Road welcome thousands of tourists every year. These include:

• Crowne Plaza Sheikh Zayed Road
• Towers Rotana
• Emirates Grand Hotel Apartments
• Sheraton Grand Hotel Dubai
• The Millennium Plaza Hotel Dubai
• Fairmount Dubai

Crowne Plaza is a 5-star hotel featuring elegant rooms, meeting spaces, dining facilities and steam and sauna rooms. Towers Rotana is another luxury hotel offering 375 furnished suites and apartments. The hotel has meeting rooms equipped with modern amenities, a fitness club and a range of dining options.

Hotel apartments for rent are also a popular choice for those looking for a long-term staycation on Sheikh Zayed Road. The cost of renting a studio hotel apartment on SZR starts from AED 115k, 2-bedroom suites can be rented for as low as AED 170k and 3-bed hotel apartments are priced upwards of AED 210k.

Getting a parking spot on SZR Road can be rather difficult, especially during weekends and peak hours. While the residential buildings have dedicated floors for parking, there is also paid street parking. This is often filled up due to the many restaurants, supermarkets, pharmacies and other establishments open at the ground level of the apartment buildings. Those looking to move to one of the residential towers on Sheikh Zayed Road can consider renting apartments with parking spaces allotted based on the covered area.

Most of the Red Line of the Dubai Metro runs parallel to the long highway. Those who use public transport will find that getting around is a breeze, many use it at rush hour to avoid the traffic on the road. There are also bus stops around the neighbourhood.

Since it is a 12-lane highway, residents should not expect it to be a quiet area. The area gives a true representation of being the busiest highway in the UAE, especially during peak hours which are 07:00 am to 09:00 am and then in the evening from 05:00 pm to 07:00 pm.

Sheikh Zayed Road is flooded with healthcare centres, schools, restaurants, and recreational options. All such necessary destinations are linked through this road.

Known to be a bustling area finding a supermarket isn’t an issue for residents of Sheikh Zayed Road. There is Al Maya Supermarket, Unique Tower Supermarket and New Delma Supermarket on the highway.

Other supermarkets on Sheikh Zayed Road are City Supermarket, Spinney’s supermarket and West Zone Fresh Supermarket. Plus, many smaller marts also offer a home delivery service to nearby residential towers

The population of Dubai is based on 85% expats and they have different beliefs and religions. To accommodate individuals of each belief, there are numerous churches, temples and gurudwaras along with mosques located in the area.

The churches in Oud Mehta are located close to the beginning of Sheikh Zayed Road. This includes St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Coptic Church, St. Thomas Orthodox Cathedral and more.

Those belonging to the Hindu and Sikh faiths will find options in the neighbouring communities. Temples in Bur Dubai include the Shiva and Krishna temples, Sikh residents can visit the Sindhi Gurdarbar and the Sikh Gurudwara which are located right behind the temples.

There are many mosques near Sheikh Zayed Road, you can find Khalifa Bin Da’en Mosque, Abdulrahman Al Qasimi Mosque, Ramadan Juma Mosque and more.

Sheikh Zayed Road is a busy highway from where it generally takes 10 minutes to reach areas where schools are located. There are many schools nearby that have a different curriculum including daycare centres and nurseries.

Willows Children Nursery, Safa Early Learning Center, Little Champion Nursery, Grassland Daycare & Nursery, British Orchard Nursery Dubai and British Berries Nursery are pre-primary schooling options.

Schools close by include GEMS Wellington Primary School Sheikh Zayed Road, which follows the National Curriculum for England and Jumeirah Baccalaureate School, which follows the International Baccalaureate curriculum. Both these are well-known primary and secondary schools near Sheikh Zayed Road. Following the Indian curriculum, Delhi Private School is a 6-minute drive.

The Canadian University of Dubai and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) Middle East are also close to this area.

There are various medical clinics on Sheikh Zayed Road. Emirates Hospitals Clinics, Elite Style Polyclinic and Padra Clinic are located in the area. The nearest hospitals are Medcare Orthopaedics & Spine Hospital, Medcare Women & Children Hospital and Burjeel Hospital for Advanced Surgery Dubai.

Sheikh Zayed Road runs through Downtown Dubai and the Dubai World Trade Center. The world’s tallest Burj Khalifa and the famous City Walk are also just a few miles away. Living in a place like Sheikh Zayed Road allows people to access different areas of Dubai as well as other cities. The expansive highway also allows easy access to the commercial hubs including Business Bay Dubai and DIFC.

With many things to do on Sheikh Zayed Road, residents can be constantly entertained. There are many hotels lining the long strip which are packed with restaurants, spas and nightlife options.

Malls on Sheikh Zayed Road include Times Square Centre, Oasis Mall and the Mall of the Emirates. Fun activities keep upgrading in these malls and families, youngsters and kids enjoy a good time besides the retail therapy. VR Park and Ski Dubai in the Mall of the Emirates are a few of them.

Further south, towards the Jebel Ali area, is Dubai Marina Mall hosting a range of events and entertainment activities besides shopping. All these malls offer a wide range of high street to luxury retail brands, multiple entertainment options and a vast selection of cafes and restaurants. Additionally, there are many fashion stores and retail outlets at Ibn Battuta Mall, a family-favourite option in Jebel Ali.

You can find many fast-food chains, cafes and restaurants on Sheikh Zayed Road. Subway, McDonald’s, KFC, Wendy’s and more make up the fast-food outlets. Casual dining restaurants include the Lebanese eatery Zaroob, American diner Johnny Rockets and Thai restaurant Little Bangkok.

Further, fine dining restaurants can be found in many hotels, popular options consist of molecular gastronomy Indian restaurant Tresind in the VOCO Hotel, Brazillian meat eatery Chamas in the Crown Plaza Hotel and European restaurant Noire in the Fairmount Hotel.

Nightlife options consist of Level 43 Sky Lounge at the Four Points by Sheraton Sheikh Zayed Road, Cavalli Club in the Fairmount Dubai and Vii Dubai in the Conrad Dubai.

Tourists, nationals and expats all surround the beaches of this megacity during holidays and weekends. Jumeirah Beach, Kite Beach and JBR Beach are some well-known beaches near Sheikh Zayed Road. They are all within a 15-minute drive from SZR. Here you will find many fitness amenities, shaded walkways and waterfront restaurants.

Due to its location, Sheikh Zayed Road can fulfil all the leisure needs of its residents. Everything is either right there or very close to it. The properties on Sheikh Zayed Road are near five-star lodgings, recreational offices and amusement centres.

The Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa are famous places that lie across this area. A stunning tourist attraction, The Dubai Fountain is also close to Sheikh Zayed Road which gives the spectators a breathtaking experience one can never forget. As the Dubai Metro runs adjacent to Sheikh Zayed Road, people can get easy access to all the above landmarks and tourist attractions.

There is also the Dubai World Trade Centre which used to be the tallest building in Dubai at one point. Now it hosts thousands of people yearly for gigantic events, exhibitions and conferences, such as Comic-Con Dubai, World Art Dubai, Gulfood, Gitex and more.

There are the mega-tall twin Emirates Towers which are located along SZR. One tower is commercial while the other houses the Jumeirah Emirates Tower Hotel. There is also the funky Youth Hub, one of Dubai’s best co-working spaces. The one-of-its-kind project, Museum of the Future is also located along the Sheikh Zayed Road near Emirates Towers. Inside the museum has three sections while the exterior is covered with Arabic calligraphy.

A larger well-known park near Sheikh Zayed Road is Zabeel Park. It features many amenities for children and adults alike. There are areas to barbecue, picnic or walk around. Go-karts can also be rented at Zabeel Park. A new installation is the Dubai Garden Glow which features many art installations and other attractions. Al Satwa Park is also located just behind the Towers Rotana Hotel, a small well-maintained community park.

Fitness options include Gold’s Gym, Embody Fitness Gym and The Warehouse Gym. These are all well-equipped and well-known gyms in Dubai that lie close to Sheikh Zayed Road.

For both men and women, several salons are located within the premises, including Nikkis Beauty Salon, Juan Salon and Black and White Salon.

The mega annual event of Gitex gathers thousands of computer and gadget geeks under one roof and is held at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), a famous building on Sheikh Zayed Road. there are other events held at DWTC such as Beautyworld, Automechanika, Arab Health and more.

Alif Art Gallery is located on SZR and is a haven for art lovers. It often hosts cultural events and showcases local artists’ works. The Last Exit Jebel Ali South on Sheikh Zayed Road is a fun spot to relax while trying out dishes from the local food trucks. Some of the best restaurants at Last Exit are Urban Seafood, Big Smoke Burger and Burger Pit.

Sheikh Zayed Road is perfect for those who want to live in a bustling area. It is well-connected by public transport and offers luxurious properties. One thing to consider is that the rent for these properties tends to be on the higher side and traffic will be an issue during peak rush hour times.

Sheikh Zayed Road is the major highway in the UAE. It is 558.4 km long stretching from Abu Dhabi to Ras Al Khaimah.

The speed limit for Sheikh Zayed Road is 100 to 120 km/h.

Since it is a major highway of the emirate, visiting leisure spots of the city won’t take too much time. You can easily drive to some renowned places near Sheikh Zayed Road such as The Dubai Mall, Zabeel Park and the Museum of the Future.

Living on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai offers a dynamic experience. The high-end residential towers and easy access to upscale amenities and entertainment venues are a few highlights of the community. However, traffic congestion can be a challenge as the road is centrally located in Dubai.

There are several metro stations on Sheikh Zayed Road as the Red Line of the Dubai Metro runs parallel to the highway.

• Dubai International Airport is a 15-minute drive away from Sheikh Zayed Road
• The much-visited Downtown Dubai district is hardly 12 minutes away
• The emirate of Abu Dhabi is at a distance of 1 hour and 26 minutes
• The Red Line of the Dubai Metro runs parallel Sheikh Zayed Road