A robust and modern infrastructure has always been one of the UAE’s strongest attractions. Roads and highways in the UAE 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, in addition to improving traffic efficiency and inter-emirate connectivity.
IMPORTANT HIGHWAYS IN THE UAE
Here is a list of the most prominent expressways in the UAE. A good 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 km, which makes it the longest road in the UAE. Starting from Al Silah in 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, high-rise buildings with serviced hotel apartments and residential apartments. 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 Dubai’s Salik toll gates 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. Stretching almost 140 km long, the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road (E311) starts from the Al Shamkha area in Abu Dhabi. It passes by the suburban areas of Dubai, like Dubai Silicon Oasis, Arabian Ranches and Mirdif to enter into Sharjah. This Dubai-Sharjah route is particularly popular because it’s toll-free and is 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 Dubai and the UAE runs parallel to the E11 and E311 and serves as an alternative route to them. The Emirates Road is great for anyone who wants to travel from Abu Dhabi to Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah and Umm Al Quwain without passing through Downtown Dubai and vice versa.
E44: AL KHAIL ROAD
People who want to travel between Hatta and Dubai can use the E44 route. This expressway in the UAE is also called the Dubai-Hatta Highway or the Al Khail Road. You may also find people using Al Aweer Road or the Ras Al Khor Road to refer to the E44. It’s nothing to be confused about, different stretches of the highway are called different names, but they’re all E44 and they all lead you to 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.
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. Linking Dubai to the city of 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. The Dubai-Al Ain Bus service operates on the same route.
E84: SHEIKH KHALIFA HIGHWAY
Sheikh Khalifa Highway, also known as the Dubai-Fujairah Road is 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 kms 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.
E95: SHEIKH KHALIFA BIN ZAYED ROAD
One may not frequent this UAE highway too much, but it’s nonetheless important. The E95 runs alongside the UAE-Oman border. It starts from Al Ain and runs all the way down to the UAE-Saudi Arabia border, where it joins the E90. This major highway in the UAE connects the villages on the eastern side of the country to the main cities.
SPEED LIMITS FOR UAE HIGHWAYS
As a general rule of thumb, speed limits for UAE and Dubai freeways 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.
That’s all we have for you on the major highways in UAE. Knowing these roads and where they take you is essential for everyone living in the UAE. It eliminates or at least reduces the trouble of navigating across and within different emirates. It also helps you plan the most amazing road trips across the UAE – now that is definitely a winner!
An important thing to remember, however, is that road names in the UAE tend to change frequently. The best practice to avoid any and all confusions 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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