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Paid parking in 2 Dubai communities: Residents change daily routines to adapt
In both areas, parking will be charged from 8 am to midnight, and spaces will be free on Sundays and public holidays
- PUBLISHED: Sat 17 Jan 2026, 6:00 AM UPDATED: Sat 17 Jan 2026, 4:42 PM
Paid parking has started in Discovery Gardens and is set to begin soon in International City, making a change in residents' daily routine, especially when they return from work.
In Discovery Gardens, the new system has already started from January 15, 2026, while in International City, residents will see paid parking come into effect from February 1, 2026. In both areas, parking will be charged from 8 am to midnight, and spaces will be free on Sundays and public holidays.
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Under the new rules, each residential unit will receive one free parking permit, but additional cars or extended stays will incur fees. In Discovery Gardens, signs show rates of Dh4 per hour from 8am to 5pm and Dh6 per hour from 5pm to midnight.
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International City will follow the standard parking tariff system used across the city. Parking here starts at Dh2 for 30 minutes and Dh3 for one hour and goes up to Dh25 for a long stay.
In Discovery Garden, if a resident parks every evening for four hours at Dh6, that means about Dh24 a day, or roughly Dh480 in a 20-workday month in more spending. Many residents expect this as an extra monthly expense on top of their usual costs.
Some residents are already changing routines. Ahmed Raza, who works in Al Quoz and lives in International City, said he changed his office timing and enrolled for a permit so he can avoid hourly charges. "I used to return home after 8pm and circle around looking for parking. Now I plan to come home earlier and use a permit. Hopefully, when the rule is effective, it will not be crowded like before,” he said.
In Discovery Gardens, Sana Mumtaz said she now combines shopping and gym visits into one trip in the evening to avoid paying multiple Dh6 bills. “If I need to go three places, I try to finish it all at once so I don’t pay too much,” she said.
Sana has two cars at home, and they have separate parking. "It used to be easy because of free parking, and now we are planning to sell one car, and I am planning to travel by metro to my office," added Sana.
Residents are also thinking twice about having extra cars. Awais Ahmed, an engineer in International City, said his household now focuses on using one car every day and keeping the second car parked only when necessary.
"Residing in International City and commuting to work or for leisure, a car is a must. So, we are planning not to sell one of the cars for now and get a parking permit," said Awais.
While residents understand that paid parking aims to improve availability and reduce congestion, they said that with this new system, they will be changing their daily routines, from when they return from work to how much they spend each month on parking.
SM Ayaz Zakir is a Senior Correspondent with a flair for extraordinary stories. His playground? Every corner of the UAE. He often ventures into remote corners of the country to capture compelling news and human interest stories.
