UAE school summer break: Dubai travel time slashed by over half as traffic eases

UAE school summer vacation officially begins, motorists across the country are breathing a collective sigh of relief. The familiar morning, often exacerbated by the daily school run, has seemingly vanished, replaced by smooth flowing traffic and significantly shorter commute times to their workplace.

For many residents, the change has been transformative, cutting travel times by more than half and reducing the stress typically associated with morning rush hours. The absence of school buses and parents dropping off children has dramatically eased congestion on major highways and inner-city roads alike.

Shamsa, a resident of Al Awir in Dubai, highlighted this in her daily journey. “I used to deal with traffic congestion on my way to work in the morning and returning home in the evening,” she said. “Even though my workplace is close to my home, it used to take me about 25 minutes to get there because of the heavy traffic, especially during the school term, since I pass by a school on my route.”

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However, the start of the summer break in the UAE has brought immediate relief. “With the beginning of the school summer vacation, I noticed a clear difference in the smooth flow of the roads. The time I need to get to work now takes no more than 10 minutes,” Shamsa explained.

“This significant difference made me realise the impact of school traffic on daily congestion, and how reducing the number of vehicles on the roads directly reflects on the speed of travel and quality of life," she added.

The relief is not limited to short commutes. Those travelling between emirates or across major city arteries are also experiencing unprecedented ease.

Tamara, who lives in Deira near Airport Road, shared her surprise at the swift journey to her workplace in Al Quoz. “I work in Al Quoz and it usually takes almost an hour and a half. Today, it took me about half an hour. I didn’t expect it,” she noted. “I left at 7am and arrived around 7.30am, due to the absence of school traffic.”

Similarly, Sharjah-Dubai commute has seen a remarkable improvement. “The smooth flow of traffic today and even starting from last week with fewer cars and buses, meant I arrived in about an hour,” said Sharjah resident Maryam Ali, who typically spends an hour and a half or more commuting to her job in Dubai.

She added that there was "no stress" and "no stopping in traffic jams" when leaving Sharjah and entering Dubai. "[Before the summer break], I would sit in traffic for half an hour in the same spot,” Maryam added, expressing her relief at the current road conditions.

As families travel abroad for holidays and the school run pauses, the volume of vehicles on the road drops significantly. While the summer heat increase, the ease of navigation provides a welcome respite for those remaining in the country, allowing for more predictable travel times and a less stressful start to the workday.

Written by

Ruqayya Al Qaydi

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Ruqayya Alqaydi is a Special Correspondent with an endless curiosity to learn. Like a journalist on a caffeine overdrive, she is fuelled by passion and on a mission to uncover every gem in the UAE.