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Dubai New Year’s Eve road closures: the roads and times from 31 December 2025
Updated
RTA’s plan for last New Year’s Eve (31 December 2025) closed the roads around Burj Khalifa in four steps: 4pm, 8pm, 9pm and 11pm. The table below has each road, as reported by Khaleej Times and The National.
The official plan for 31 December 2026 is not out yet, so the road closures here are last season’s. Last season it came out on 26 December 2025, and this page changes the same day.
Until it is, plan to be inside Downtown before 4pm, or come by metro.
The roads and times on 31 December 2025
| Road | Closed from |
|---|---|
| Al Asayel Street | 4pm |
| Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard | 4pm |
| Burj Khalifa Street | 4pm |
| Lower Financial Centre Road | 4pm |
| Al Mustaqbal Street, between the Financial Centre intersection and Commercial Centre Street | 4pm |
| Al Sukook Street | 8pm |
| Upper Financial Centre Road | 9pm |
| Sheikh Zayed Road, between Al Maidaan intersection and Commercial Centre roundabout | 11pm, gradual |
RTA’s announced plan, as reported by Khaleej Times and The National on 26 December 2025. Road names follow the Dubai Media Office release of the same day, which gives 4pm to 11pm for the whole area and no time per road. The two stretches are in Khaleej Times’s wording.
The map draws last season’s closures as red lines. Its list view has the same roads.
Gulf News printed the same four times with two other road names: Al Istiqlal Street where the others have Al Asayel Street, and Al Multaqa (Al Mulook) Street where they have Al Sukook Street.
One hour earlier for Dubai Mall: Emaar’s FAQ said Lower Financial Centre Road, the road to the mall, is usually closed around 3pm.
RTA said the times could move with the size of the crowd.
Coming by train instead? The hours and the station rule are in our metro guide.
What was reported on the night
Gulf News’s live blog relayed RTA’s notices through the evening. The times below are when the blog posted them, so read them as “by”, not “at”.
| Posted | RTA’s notice |
|---|---|
| 4:08pm | Al Asayel Street closed. Drivers sent to Al Khail Road. |
| 5:51pm | Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard closed. |
| 8:21pm | Al Mustaqbal Street partly closed between First Business Bay Street and Financial Centre Road. |
| 9:07pm | Lower Financial Centre Road closed to drivers coming from Al Khail Street. |
| 10:38pm | Traffic suspended at JBR. |
| 10:54pm | King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Street towards JBR closed. |
| 11:39pm | Sheikh Zayed Road closed. Al Khail Road and Al Meydan Street given as alternatives. |
| 1:19am | Sheikh Zayed Road open again. |
Source: Gulf News live blog, 31 December 2025 and 1 January 2026.
JBR and Bluewaters on 31 December 2025
RTA’s plan, as reported by Khaleej Times on 30 December 2025: JBR closed to private cars and open only to pedestrians from 4pm. Only taxis were allowed on King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Street, the main JBR road, and ride-hailing cars and limousines were barred from it between 11pm and 1am.
How early cars were really stopped is less clear. An RTA official told Khaleej Times on the day that access would tighten in stages, with full closures expected around 11pm.
Bluewaters: the plan was to restrict access to the island once it was full. No report says whether that happened.
More on our JBR and Bluewaters fireworks page.
Parking, taxis and the drive home
Parking and stopping were banned on Al Khail Road, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai-Al Ain Road and Oud Metha Road, and on the main roads around the event, Gulf News and Khaleej Times reported.
RTA’s suggested ways round: Al Khail Road, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, Al Ain Road and Dubai-Hatta Road.
About 20,000 parking spaces were announced in the Burj Khalifa area, with overflow parking at Al Wasl Club and Al Kifaf. After the fireworks, free RTA buses ran from Downtown to metro stations, car parks and two taxi points, at Al Wasl Club and Al Kifaf.
Emaar said taxis reached Downtown only until the closures began, typically 4pm, and that a hotel or restaurant badge gave no priority for a car once the roads were closed.
Leaving by car: Emaar said cars could leave Dubai Mall parking between 1am and 2am, depending on the authorities.
Public parking was free on 1 January 2026, except multi-storey car parks and Al Khail Gate N-365. RTA’s notice said nothing about 31 December.
What may be different on 31 December 2026
Two of last season’s roads have changed since. Al Mustaqbal Street is being rebuilt: RTA said in August 2026 the project was over 50% complete, with three tunnels due to open in February 2027. And in September 2026 RTA completed its Oud Maitha Road and Al Asayel Street project. This season’s closure map may not match last season’s.
With a restaurant or hotel booking
Ask the venue which entrance to use and the latest time to arrive. Last season a booking or a badge did not open a closed road, and Emaar told Downtown hotel and restaurant guests to arrive before the closures, which could begin as early as 4pm.
Want a table for the night?
These venues take New Year's Eve enquiries on WhatsApp now. You book directly with the venue, and we charge no fee.
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Questions
Which roads close in Dubai on New Year’s Eve?
RTA’s plan for 31 December 2025 closed Al Asayel Street, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard, Burj Khalifa Street, Lower Financial Centre Road and part of Al Mustaqbal Street from 4pm, Al Sukook Street from 8pm, Upper Financial Centre Road from 9pm and a stretch of Sheikh Zayed Road from 11pm. The official plan for 31 December 2026 is not out yet, so the road closures here are last season’s. Last season it came out on 26 December 2025, and this page changes the same day.
What time does Sheikh Zayed Road close on New Year’s Eve?
Last season the plan was a gradual, partial closure from 11pm, between Al Maidaan intersection and Commercial Centre roundabout in Khaleej Times’s wording. Gulf News’s live blog had it closed by 11:39pm and open again by 1:19am.
Can I drive to a Downtown restaurant with a booking?
Not through a closed road, last season. Emaar said badges gave no priority vehicle access after the closures, and told hotel and restaurant guests to arrive before them.
Was JBR closed to cars?
Under RTA’s plan as reported, yes: private cars were barred and JBR was for pedestrians only from 4pm on 31 December 2025, with taxis only on the main road. On the day an RTA official spoke of staged restrictions, with full closures around 11pm.
Are last year’s closure times fixed for this year?
No. The official plan for 31 December 2026 is not out yet, so the road closures here are last season’s. Last season it came out on 26 December 2025, and this page changes the same day. Two of the roads have also changed since: Al Mustaqbal Street is being rebuilt, and the Al Asayel Street project was completed in September 2026.