Major highways in the UAE you should know about
The UAE’s robust and modern infrastructure has always been one of its biggest attractions. Its roads and highways are built to fit the country’s connectivity requirements and environmental conditions. All the major expressways in the UAE serve as the underlying foundation of the country’s overall infrastructure, along with improving traffic efficiency and inter-emirate connectivity.
Out of all the roads, there are six major highways in the UAE that one needs to be aware of while navigating. Let’s learn about each of the major highways and roads in the UAE and where they lead.
MAJOR HIGHWAYS IN THE UAE
Here is a list of the most prominent expressways in the UAE. A solid understanding of these routes will help you efficiently get around the UAE without any confusions.
E11
E11 is the arterial highway that connects all the emirates, except Fujairah. Its total length is 558.4 km, which makes it the longest road in the UAE. Starting from the Al Batha border crossing at the Saudi Arabia–UAE border in Al Silah, Abu Dhabi, the road stretches all the way to Ras Al Khaimah. The E11 runs through the cities’ most prominent locations, like Al Majaz in Sharjah, Bur Dubai in Dubai and the Abu Dhabi International Airport. The E11 is known by different names in different emirates.
- Abu Dhabi: Sheikh Maktoum Bin Rashid Road
- Dubai: Sheikh Zayed Road
- Ras Al Khaimah: Sheikh Muhammad bin Salem Road
SHEIKH ZAYED ROAD
A major part of the E11, Sheikh Zayed Road is Dubai’s busiest road. The expressway is home to upscale hotels and high-rise buildings with serviced hotel apartments and residences. This bustling road also provides connectivity to major business hubs in Dubai.
The Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai starts from the intersection near the Zabeel Royal Palace in Zabeel 1 and then leads to a number of popular landmarks in Dubai, including the Dubai Mall, Dubai World Trade Centre, Burj Khalifa and the Emirates Towers. Three of the toll gates in Dubai are located on the Sheikh Zayed Road.
E311: SHEIKH MOHAMMED BIN ZAYED ROAD
E311 or Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road connects Dubai to the other emirates in the UAE – namely, Ajman, Umm al-Quwain and Sharjah. Almost 140 km long, the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road (E311) passes by the suburban areas of Dubai, like Dubai Silicon Oasis, Arabian Ranches and Mirdif to enter Sharjah.
This Dubai-Sharjah route is particularly popular because it’s toll-free and a good option for those who live in Sharjah and work in Dubai. From Sharjah, the E311 connects to Ajman, leading into Umm Al Quwain and then finally to the E11 in Ras Al Khaimah.
E611: EMIRATES ROAD
E611, commonly known as the Emirates Road in Dubai, stretches 110 km long. This highway in the UAE runs parallel to the E311 and serves as an alternative route for those looking to travel between Abu Dhabi and the Northern Emirates without passing through Dubai. To summarise, Emirates Road connects Abu Dhabi to Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah and Umm Al Quwain without passing through Dubai.
E44: AL KHAIL ROAD
People who want to travel between Hatta and Dubai can use the E44 route, even with the Dubai-Hatta express bus. This major highway in the UAE is also referred to as the Dubai-Hatta Highway, Al Khail Road, Al Aweer Road or the Ras Al Khor Road. It’s nothing to be confused about, different stretches of the highway are called different names, but they’re all E44 and they lead you to all the fun activities in Hatta awaiting you. The E44 also connects the country to Oman.
The Dubai-Hatta Highway begins from the Dubai Sports City and Jumeirah Village Triangle intersection on the E311. It runs through the Ras Al Khor industrial area and Dubai International City developments while crossing the E611, E311, E66 expressways in the UAE. It disconnects at Al Madam, by Al Rawdah region of Oman, then reconnects in Masfout and runs to Hatta.
E66: DUBAI-AL AIN ROAD
Next on our list of major highways in the UAE is E66 or the Dubai-Al Ain Road. In 2018, this road was renamed Tahnoun Bin Mohammed Al Nahyan Road, in honour of the Sheikh Tahnoun, the Ruler’s Representative in the Eastern Region of Abu Dhabi. Linking Dubai to Al Ain, this expressway begins at the Wafi Mall junction on the E11 and runs perpendicular to the E611, E311 and E44 routes. The E66 ends in Al Ain city, close to the Al Hili area.
If you don’t prefer public transport, here is how to go Al Ain from Dubai via a bus.
E77: SHEIKH KHALIFA BIN ZAYED ROAD
The E77 runs alongside the UAE-Oman border. starting from the 7th interchange of E11 near Jebal Ali Industrial Area. It intersects with the E66, merges with E44 (towards Hatta). This major highway in the UAE connects the villages on the eastern side of the country to the main cities. It also runs past the Dubai World Central International Airport (DWC Airport), which aims to become a prime airport in the city.
E84: SHEIKH KHALIFA HIGHWAY
Sheikh Khalifa Highway, also known as the Dubai-Fujairah Road is only 40 km long. This highway in the UAE was opened for traffic in 2011. E84 is the quickest route connecting the emirates of Dubai and Fujairah, almost 20 to 30 km shorter than the previous routes. The expressway is mostly frequented by those looking for a weekend getaway in Fujairah and is part of the Dubai to Fujairah Bus route.
Sheikh Zayed Bridge
The Sheikh Zayed Bridge connects the mainland to Abu Dhabi island. It is 842 metres long and is designed to remind one of the sand dunes in the desert. It’s also brightly lit with blue neon lights, making it a popular tourist attraction in the capital.
SPEED LIMITS FOR UAE HIGHWAYS
As a general rule of thumb, speed limits for the UAE and Dubai free ways range between 100 and 120 km/h. Rural roads usually have an upper speed limit of 100 km/h and the speed cap for urban dual-carriageways ranges between 60 and 80 km/h.
All emirates, except Abu Dhabi, allow a 20km/h buffer on the speed limits. So, if a certain UAE highway has a speed limit of 100 km/h, a speeding fine will not be applicable unless you hit 121km/h. Keep in mind that this rule does not apply in Abu Dhabi.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many major highways are in Dubai?
In Dubai, there are 6 major highways and several inter-city and intra-city roads. These six connect Dubai with the other emirates.
What is the toll system in Dubai?
The electronic toll gate system in Dubai is called Salik. While driving through the toll roads in Dubai, a charge of AED 4 is deducted in one’s Salik account. You want to have a Salik Tag on your car for this to take place.
What is the toll system in Abu Dhabi?
Abu Dhabi has an electronic road toll system, called DARB toll. These toll gates are located on four bridges leading to Abu Dhabi and deduct AED 4 from your DARB account.
That’s all we have for you on the major highways in the UAE. Knowing these roads and where they take you is essential for everyone in the UAE. It eliminates, or at least reduces, the trouble of navigating across and within different emirates. It also helps you plan the best long drive in UAE – now that is definitely a winner!
An important thing to remember, however, is that road names in the UAE can change. The best practice to avoid any setbacks is to remember their numbers. All major highways in the UAE have the prefix ‘E’ and a corresponding number – that number remains the same and makes it easier for you to traverse around.
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