Dubai announces free parking this weekend

The Roads and Transport Authority of Dubai (RTA) has announced an updated public services schedule for Friday, August 28, 2026, on the occasion of the Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) Birthday. On this day, announced as a UAE-wide public holiday earlier this month, RTA public parking bays across Dubai will be free to use. Yes. RTA public parking in Dubai will be free on Friday, August 28, for the Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) Birthday. Charges return on Saturday, August 29, before parking becomes free again on Sunday, August 30, as with all Sundays. #RTA has announced its service hours for the Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) Birthday Holiday, corresponding to Friday, 28th August 2026. The announcement covers Customer Happiness Centres, paid parking zones, public buses, Dubai Metro and Tram, marine transport services, and service… pic.twitter.com/ncXRtIg0kK So that’s a full two days out of the three-day-long weekend where you can pull up, hit the brakes and explore the city without having to drop top-up texts to the 7275 paymaster (that’s the SMS RTA payment number). It’s important to note that the free parking applies to Dubai public parking, so private parking operations and multi-storey car parks may continue to charge as standard. Make sure you check the signage and parking guidelines before leaving the car. For ideas on where to park, and what to do for the XXL breal, checkout our full guide to the best of What’s On this weekend. The RTA is also operating a holiday timetable for some of its other services, including public transport, vehicle inspection centres and Customer Happiness Centres. Head to the RTA website for all the details on these temporary operating hours.