This August, parking around 59 mosques across Dubai will move to a 24/7 paid system. Parkin, the city’s biggest provider of public parking, has teamed up with the Islamic Affairs & Charitable Activities Department (IACAD) to manage and operate about 2,100 spaces across these sites. But before you go grunting in a little bit of annoyance, there is one exception that will make parking at these mosques completely FREE. I have all the details you want to know, so keep reading to find out more.
Also read: 11 Places You Can Still Park For FREE As Parkin Expands Paid Parking Zones Across Dubai
Free Parking During Prayer Time
The exception to the new 24/7 paid parking system is that parking will be completely FREE for 1 hour during prayer times. This makes sure that those heading to the mosque can still find accessible spots without worrying about charges while they pray. Outside of prayer times, however, the parking will be chargeable 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Where & How Much It Costs
Out of the 59 mosques, 41 fall under the standard parking zone (M) and 18 under the premium parking zone (MP).
- Zone M (Standard): AED 2 for 30 minutes, AED 4 for an hour.
- Zone MP (Premium): AED 2 for 30 minutes and AED 4 for an hour during off-peak times. During peak hours, though, the rate rises to AED 3 for 30 minutes and Dh6 for an hour.
Peak parking hours in Dubai are from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
According to Parkin’s CEO, Eng. Mohamed Abdulla Al Ali, this move is about making mosque visits smoother and cutting down on people misusing spaces meant for worshippers. The partnership also boosts Parkin’s private parking portfolio to nearly 20,800 spaces, and there’s even potential to expand this initiative to more mosques across Dubai in the future.
So, the next time you’re at a mosque and see that M or MP parking sign board be sure to check the time and pay accordingly, Don’t want any pesky parking fine on your Dubai police app waiting for you.
