Traffic Delays Cost Dubai Drivers 35 Hours in 2024

If you've ever chatted with anyone living in Dubai, the conversation will eventually turn to traffic. It's a fact of life here, and if you're wondering just how much time is spent stuck in it each year, we’ve got the numbers.

According to the INRIX 2024 Traffic Scorecard, drivers in Dubai lost a staggering 35 hours to traffic congestion in 2024. That's 2 hours more than the previous year. While this might sound like a lot, it’s actually better than many other major global cities.

Global Traffic Congestion: Where Does Dubai Rank?

INRIX’s annual report analyzes travel behavior across 900 cities in 37 countries and factors in things like delay comparisons, time spent in traffic, and peak speeds. For Dubai, the city ranked 154th globally for traffic congestion, which, when you look at other cities, isn’t too bad. For comparison, cities like Istanbul, New York City, and Chicago are at the top of the congestion list, while Abu Dhabi came in at 473rd.

Dubai’s Growing Population and More Cars on the Road

The rise in traffic is directly linked to Dubai’s growing population. Since January 2021, over 378,000 people have moved to the city, contributing to the increase in the number of vehicles. With over 4 million vehicles now registered in Dubai via Salik, and more than 3.5 million vehicles on the road during the day, the result is more cars and more delays.

Traffic Speeds: Slowing Down Over Time

With all these extra cars on the road, it’s no surprise that traffic speeds are gradually getting slower. During peak commute times in 2024, cars in Dubai are moving at an average speed of 32 mph, down from 33 mph in 2023 and 35 mph in 2019. Off-peak speeds, however, have stayed pretty consistent at 45 mph in both 2023 and 2024.

The morning commute into downtown has also gotten slower, with the last mile speed dropping to just 22 mph—a crawl compared to previous years.

 

 

 

 

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Solutions to Alleviate Traffic Congestion

While traffic is a problem, Dubai is working on solutions to ease the congestion. One of the big plans is a AED 3.7 billion initiative approved by the RTA in November 2024. This project will see 634 km of internal roads constructed across the emirate over the next five years.

Another solution that has been proposed is introducing flexible working hours and remote work policies for both private and public sector employees. This could help reduce peak congestion and make commuting more manageable for everyone.