There comes a point in every adult’s life when you realise that being a grown-up mostly involves deciphering parking signs, downloading strangely named apps and setting hourly alarms so you don’t accidentally break a bylaw. It’s not glamorous, it’s not on the vision board, but it’s where we are. And when it comes to parking in another emirate, we’re about as confident as a cat in a swimming pool. You think you’ve nailed it in Dubai, only to find yourself in Ajman staring at a meter that wants an SMS format in what might as well be Morse code. Suddenly, your phone has 4% battery, your mobile balance is mysteriously AED 1.38, and you’re Googling “how to pay for parking in Ajman” like your life depends on it. (Because frankly, it does; parking fines are not known for their mercy.) But, here’s the big news! The Parkin app has decided it’s time we stopped living like this. It’s taken pity on our panicked thumbs and created a system that lets you pay for parking across multiple emirates.
Also read: Pack Your Bags – Here’s How To Plan A UAE To Saudi Road Trip For Just AED 140
Dubai’s Go-to Parking App Saves The Day
Once known as Dubai’s go-to parking app, Parkin has now gone all diplomatic and decided to extend its services beyond city lines. You can now use it to pay for parking in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Ajman too. Which means – drumroll – no more memorising random SMS formats that look like your toddler attacked your phone keyboard.
A United Parking Nation (Sort of)
Now before you start envisioning a utopian UAE where one parking rule fits all, let’s pump the brakes.
Each emirate still very much has its own “system”, a charming word that here means “set of rules designed to catch you unawares on Fridays and public holidays.” But at least the app helps you send the right SMS to the right place with the right format, which in the world of Middle East parking is basically the Holy Grail.
Okay, So How Does This Magical App Work?
Here’s the adulting checklist:
- Download Parkin from your app store (it won’t bite).
- Open the menu and tap Services.
- Click on Other Emirates.
- Pick your emirate, add how long you’re parking for, and type in your car details.
- The app auto-generates a perfect, properly punctuated, parking-friendly SMS.
- Hit send. Watch your phone balance drop.
- Go forth and brunch.
By the way, it:
- Works with e&, du, and Virgin Mobile.
- Includes a 30 fils service charge because… erm, life.
The Catch: Each Emirate Is Still Doing Its Own Thing
Let’s decode the chaos:
Abu Dhabi (a.k.a. “Mawaqif Monopoly”)
Paid parking: 8am to 12 midnight, Monday to Saturday
Free on Sundays and holidays (small mercies)
Standard Zone: Dh2/hour
Premium Zone: Dh3/hour – likely still full
Sharjah:
Regular zones: 8am to 10pm, Saturday to Thursday
Seven-day zones: 8am to 12 midnight, every day including Fridays and holidays
Both charge AED 2/hour, but those sneaky timings are the real trap
Ajman:
Paid slots: 8am-1pm and 5pm-10pm, Saturday to Thursday
Free: Fridays and public holidays
Some areas near parks = free from 4pm to 1am (we like these areas very much).
Before You Sprint To Your Car:
- Always keep your mobile balance topped up (or live on the edge – your call).
- Don’t assume the same parking rule applies just because the roads look similar.
- Download the app before you reach your destination and not while dangerously double parked.
- Never trust a quiet street in Sharjah on a Friday; it’s probably a trap.
So yes, the Parkin app won’t fix your love life or sort your laundry, but it will make you feel like a functioning adult when you park your car anywhere from Ajman to Abu Dhabi without setting off a bureaucratic firestorm.
Now if only it could remind us where we left the car in the first place!
You may also like: Less Than 65 Days To Go! Dubai Fountain Show Is Almost Back – Here’s When!
