Abu Dhabi Announces Free Parking and Tolls for Eid Al Fitr 2026

With the Holy Month of Ramadan coming to a close and the festive Eid Al Fitr spirit widespread in the UAE, authorities in the capital are giving residents and visitors a further present. Q Mobility (formerly the Integrated Transport Centre) has officially announced that public parking and toll gate fees in Abu Dhabi will be waived for at least the duration of this year's Eid.

No matter if you're paying a few 'family'calls, getting to the Grand Mosque for prayers, or just enjoying a nice, quiet long weekend, the whole scene needs changing quite a bit for 2026.

The Official Dates: Mark Your Calendars

The period between the announcement and the holiday proper will comprise a full four days. This means that free public transport will be on offer to everyone during this time. The official announcement made on Wednesday, 18 March, to this effect read:

Start Date: Thursday, 19 March 2026 (12:01 AM)
End Date: Sunday, 22 March 2026 (11:59 PM)
Normal charging for both parking and tolls will resume promptly on Monday, 23 March next year.

Mawaqif: Hassle-Free Parking

During holidays, finding a parking space in places like Hamdan Street or the Corniche can be quite difficult, but for these four days, you won't have to have your phone or parking meter at hand.

All surface car parks under the Mawaqif scheme will be free. This, however, does not mean that drivers can ignore parking regulations. To maintain safety and keep traffic flowing smoothly, both of the following rules still apply.

Resident-Only Zones: Parking in resident-only spots (labelled by obvious signs) is also on duty. Nine at night to "AM", five days a week, no longer serves unlicensed cars.

Obstructions: Stopping in areas organized ( by traffic police), hampering the flow of pedestrian traffic. These are signs--avoid.

Multi-Storey Parking: Multi-Storey parking facilities will still charge daily parking fees, and most are beyond the holiday exemption, meaning charges generally apply 24/7. As for the Darb Toll System, its biggest advantage is that the lanes are reserved for vehicles participating in this programme.

That's only part of the story. For people who come into town from Dubai or its surrounding areas, there's even better news! During the four days, a person won't have to pay at all when passing under any of the Darb toll gates on our four main bridges to Abu Dhabi Island. They're the Sheikh Zayed Bridge, Sheikh Khalifa Bridge, Al Maqta Bridge, and Mussafah Bridge.

During peak morning and evening hours, AED 4 is deducted at each gate. Thursday through Sunday, however, motorists are allowed to pass through as often as they like without any charges to their accounts.

Service Centres and Public Transport

If you have things to take care of with that system's administration, make full use of your time right now. Customer Happiness Centres and Driver Licensing Centres will be closed from Wednesday to Sunday, Q Mobility confirmed this yesterday. On the other hand, access to alternative forms, such as authenticated properties centers on virtually every platform, new roadways correspondence ("Darb App™"), or even more mainstream communications, such as 800 3009 all day and every evening, remains unchanged, with a long-term support hotline.

Final Thoughts upon the Break

This is a great move from the authorities in Abu Dhabi. It clearly showcases their concern for the social and economic strain on families during what is usually one of the most active times of year. It's an example of the United Arab Emirates' dedication to public welfare: everybody has the chance to meet Dave Kinnear at Easter!

As you go off to celebrate, remember to drive safely, respect where the car park sign says you can't park, and otherwise have a joyful one. Eid Mubarak!