New Road Toll Charges Are Coming to Abu Dhabi in October

All registered vehicles in Abu Dhabi will automatically be added onto the new system for free

Posted on

25 July 2019

| Last updated on 25 July 2019

by Clarice Awa

New Road Toll Charges Are Coming to Abu Dhabi in October

The cashless system is similar to Dubai Salik

From October 15 this year, motorists will have to pay the new road toll charges for any of the four Abu Dhabi tollgates they use.

According to the Abu Dhabi Department of Transport, the new system is similar to that of Dubai Salik; it will be cashless so drivers are charged automatically to their account. The difference is that vehicles will be identified and charged by the toll system based on their license plate, not a tag on their vehicle windscreen.

Drivers who are travelling through Mussafah, Al Maqtaa, Sheikh Zayed, and Sheikh Khalifa bridges will be charged AED 4 for every pass through the gates during the morning (7 AM - 9 AM) and afternoon (5 PM - 7 PM) rush hours between Saturday - Thursday.

The toll will be AED 2 during off-peak times, including all day on Fridays, and public holidays.

The Department of Transport & the Integrated Transport Centre announced the launch of their forthcoming toll gate system for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, which is to be activated on Oct 15, 2019 in a move set to reduce congestion & raise the efficiency of the transport sector. pic.twitter.com/Wy9tbY35Gh

— "DoT" دائرة النقل (@AbuDhabiDoT) July 25, 2019

The Abu Dhabi Department of Transport mentioned in a statement, “The tollgate system encourages the general public to utilise Abu Dhabi’s public transport network, to reduce the use of private vehicles, and to encourage carpooling by individuals working within the same organisation or even the same family."

Motorists who will regularly pass through one of the toll gates for a five-day working week may be charged an average of AED 160 per month. The toll gate fee is capped at AED 16 per day.

Vehicles excluded from paying toll fees include: emergency vehicles (ambulances, police vehicles), school buses, buses, motorcycles, and Abu Dhabi-registered taxi cabs. Electric cars will exempted from paying toll fees for the first two years the system is introduced.

Abu Dhabi toll fines

Drivers who are found violating the new regulations in place for the toll gates will receive fines, with penalties up to AED 10,000. Here's a list of fines motorists will face if they don't adhere to the new toll system:

Crossing a tollgate without sufficient balance in driver's account: AED 50 per day
Tampering with a license plate to avoid fines: AED 10,000
Damaging e-payment machines or toll gates: AED 10,000
Driving through toll gates in unregistered cars: AED 100 for the first day, AED 200 for the second day, and AED 400 for the third day - can reach up to AED 10,000

All registered vehicles in Abu Dhabi will automatically be added onto the new system for free on August 30. Owners of vehicles are advised to keep a lookout for a text message with their username and password which will allow them to log in to their new tollgate account.

Motorists registered outside of Abu Dhabi must register on to the new system before traveling through the Abu Dhabi tollgates. Not doing so will lead to the vehicle owner being fined.

When tolls were introduced in Jebel Ali, transport authorities expected traffic to decrease by 25%.