Sheikh Zayed Road
Sheikh Zayed Road is Dubai’s stretch of the E11, the longest road in the UAE at 558.4 kilometres. Construction started in 1971 and finished in 1980, when it was called Defence Road. Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum renamed it in the 1990s after Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. In Dubai it runs from Oud Metha to Jebel Ali, passing the Dubai World Trade Centre, Emirates Towers, Museum of the Future, Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall. The Metro Red Line runs alongside it, and RTA widened a section to seven lanes in August 2026.
Imtiaz Raw District 2 Tower C On Sheikh Zayed Road Dubai
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- Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai
Sheikh Zayed Road Dubai
Only the Dubai section carries the name. Buildings from the Trade Centre area down to Business Bay are the ones property listings mean by SZR. The Red Line runs parallel for most of that length, which is why so many people who work along the corridor never drive to the office.
RTA completed a two-kilometre widening near Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall metro station in August 2026, taking that stretch from six lanes to seven for traffic coming from Abu Dhabi towards the World Trade Centre interchange. Capacity rose seventeen percent and peak journey times fell by up to ten percent.
The interchange itself is the bigger job. A second-level bridge opened on 27 February 2026, carrying two lanes towards Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street and cutting that journey from six minutes to one. Two more bridges opened the same month, and the roundabout is being replaced by a signalised intersection. RTA expects average delays there to drop from twelve minutes to ninety seconds. A separate bridge to Dubai Harbour opened on 19 June 2026.
Further out, the AED 2 billion Latifa bint Hamdan Corridor will link Sheikh Zayed Road with Al Khail Road, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road and Emirates Road by the end of 2028, carrying an expected 130,000 vehicle trips a day.
Four of Dubai's ten Salik gates are located on Sheikh Zayed Road, making it the most toll-heavy route in the emirate.
| Salik Gate | Where It Is |
|---|---|
| Jebel Ali | Near Ibn Battuta Mall |
| Al Barsha | Before Mall of the Emirates |
| Al Safa South | Southern Al Safa stretch, opened November 2024 |
| Al Safa North | Closer to Al Safa and Jumeirah |
Salik dropped its flat AED 4 charge on 31 January 2025 and now prices crossings by time of day. Since 1 June 2026, a 5% VAT applies, making a peak crossing AED 6.30 and an off-peak crossing AED 4.20. Peak hours run from 06:00 to 10:00 and 16:00 to 20:00, Monday to Saturday, while crossings between 01:00 and 06:00 are free. If you pass Al Safa North and Al Safa South in the same direction within 60 minutes, you are charged once rather than twice. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road runs inland and parallel to Sheikh Zayed Road and has no Salik gates.
Mostly not, and this is an important consideration for buyers assessing Sheikh Zayed Road as an investment location. Much of the strip is leasehold, which helps explain why the area is dominated by tenants rather than owner-occupiers. The Dubai Land Department has identified 128 plots along the road for potential conversion from leasehold to freehold, with owners able to check eligibility through the Dubai REST app. Buyers should verify the property's ownership status before committing.
Burj Azizi is the exception. Azizi Developments has received final approval for a 725-metre tower with 131 or more storeys. Scheduled for completion in 2028, it is planned to become the world's second-tallest building. It is currently the only freehold property cited on the Sheikh Zayed Road strip. Prices start at AED 7,149 per sq ft and can reach AED 34,000 per sq ft, with apartments ranging from AED 7.5 million to AED 156 million. Volta by DAMAC and DAMAC Safa Gate are among the other active launches on the road.
Land Department figures show more than 13,000 rental transactions over the past 12 months and AED 1.1 billion in property sales. The market recorded 1,477 registered new rental contracts, with the average residential rent at AED 120,502 per year. Bayut listings are higher on average, at AED 139,689 for apartments and AED 109,728 for one-bedroom units. Hotel apartments start at around AED 115,000 for a studio and AED 210,000 for a three-bedroom unit.
- Salik costs: Four Salik gates along the road can add up quickly for drivers who cross them regularly.
- Traffic: Peak congestion generally runs from 07:00 to 09:00 and 17:00 to 19:00, and Sheikh Zayed Road remains a busy arterial throughout the day.
- Parking: Street parking can fill quickly, so check how many dedicated spaces your building provides before signing a lease or purchase agreement.
- Ownership: Much of the strip remains leasehold, which can restrict outright ownership options for overseas buyers.