City Walk in Dubai has implemented a barrier-free and ticketless parking system, according to the company Parkin. This change is intended to improve the visitor experience.
City Walk in Dubai has implemented a barrier-free and ticketless parking system, according to the company Parkin. This change is intended to improve the visitor experience.
In the City Walk area, parking is provided free of charge for the first hour. After the free period ends, a fee of 5 Dirhams (Dh5) is charged for each hour or part of an hour. These charges are automatically debited from the Parkin account. If the user does not have a Parkin account or if it lacks sufficient funds, a payment link will be sent to them.
In the The Boulevard area, visitors can use free parking for the first thirty minutes. Subsequently, a fee of 20 Dirhams (Dh20) is charged for each additional hour. According to the City Walk website, parking payment is made through the visitor's Salik account.
Visitors who spend at least 50 Dirhams (Dh50) in any participating establishment are entitled to three hours of free parking. To receive this benefit, they must present a parking ticket at the counter of the respective establishment. Furthermore, Parkin has entered into a five-year agreement with Al Ghurair Centre to implement smart, ticketless parking. Visitors to Al Ghurair Centre are granted three hours of free parking, after which tariffs apply from Monday to Saturday; parking remains free on Sundays and public holidays.
With the start of the summer holiday period in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), drivers across the country have felt significant relief. The daily morning rush, often exacerbated by school runs, has disappeared, giving way to smoother traffic flow and substantially reduced commute times to work.
For many residents, this change has been transformative, as travel time has been cut by more than half, and stress levels typically associated with morning rush hour have decreased. The absence of school buses and parents dropping off children has significantly reduced congestion on both major highways and city roads.
Shamsa, a resident of Al Awir in Dubai, shared her experience. She noted that she previously encountered traffic jams on her way to work in the morning and back in the evening. Despite her workplace being close to home, due to heavy traffic, especially during the school term, it used to take her about 25 minutes because her route passed by a school.
However, the start of the summer holidays brought immediate relief. Shamsa explained that since the holidays began, she noticed a clear difference in traffic fluidity. Now, the drive to work takes no more than 10 minutes. She emphasized that this significant difference showed her the impact of school traffic on daily congestion and how the reduction in vehicles directly affects travel speed and quality of life.
The relief is not only felt in short trips. People traveling between emirates or along main city arteries are also noting unprecedented calm in traffic.
Tamara, who lives in Deira near the Airport Road, expressed surprise at the speed of her commute to Al Quoz. It usually took almost an hour and a half, but on this day, it took her only about half an hour. She noted that she did not expect this, as she left at 7 am and arrived around 7:30 am thanks to the lack of school traffic.
A significant improvement is also observed on the route between Sharjah and Dubai. Maryam Ali, a resident of Sharjah who usually spends an hour and a half or more commuting to work in Dubai, reported that thanks to the smooth traffic flow, which started last week with fewer cars and buses, she arrived in about an hour. She added that leaving Sharjah and entering Dubai was free of stress or traffic stops, unlike the pre-holiday period when she could be stuck in traffic for half an hour in one spot.
As families travel abroad for vacation and school commutes are suspended, the overall number of vehicles on the roads is noticeably decreasing. Although the summer heat is intensifying, the ease of navigation brings welcome relief to those remaining in the country, ensuring more predictable travel times and a less stressful start to the workday.
Dubai company Parkin, the largest provider of paid services and public parking facilities in the emirate, has signed a five-year agreement with Al Ghurair Center to implement smart, ticketless parking.
Visitors will be able to use three hours of free parking. After this, standard rates apply from Monday to Saturday, while parking remains free on Sundays and public holidays. Customers can pay parking fees before leaving or within five days through Parkin's integrated digital channels.
Shoppers who spend AED 200 or more at Al Ghurair Center will receive two additional hours of free parking beyond the standard three hours, provided they confirm at the Customer Service Desk. Additionally, visitors purchasing tickets at Star Cinemas will also receive two extra hours of free parking.
The five-year partnership also includes providing options for monthly parking subscriptions and specialized parking management solutions for the Al Ghurair Centre Residence residential complex and Rawabeh commercial tenants. Access to the parking lot will be restricted to vehicles registered under valid lease agreements and designated parking spots, ensuring a safe and well-managed environment for residents.
Parkin will also provide compliance and operational management services designed to optimize parking availability, encourage adherence to regulations, and ensure fair access for all users. The new parking system will utilize Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR), eliminating the need for physical tickets and allowing faster access to parking zones. A new camera with a built-in screen will be installed in Al Ghurair Center for the first time, providing visitors with real-time information and support.
Engineer Abdelrahman Alshuwaihi, Operations Director at Parkin Company, noted that Dubai's retail spaces require parking systems that are intuitive, efficient, and capable of supporting high visitor traffic while maintaining a seamless customer experience. He added that by implementing advanced ANPR technology and an integrated digital platform, a smooth parking process will be ensured, reducing congestion and improving accessibility for everyone.
Rami El Sharawi, Vice President of Hospitality at Al Ghurair Hospitality and Al Ghurair Center, stated that the collaboration with Parkin allows them to achieve this goal by removing one of the oldest obstacles in retail—the parking barrier. Implementing this seamless ticketless system means more than just adopting smart technology.
