Sheikh Zayed Road closes from 3am to 9.30am on Sunday for Dubai Ride
RTA is closing three roads in Downtown and the Trade Centre area on Sunday 1 November for Dubai Ride, and the Metro opens at 3am.
Drivers heading through central Dubai early on Sunday morning need another route. The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has announced that three roads will close for six and a half hours on Sunday 1 November, from 3am to 9.30am, to make room for Dubai Ride, the free cycling morning that opens the Dubai Fitness Challenge.
The closures cover Sheikh Zayed Road between the Trade Centre junction and Al Safa Bridge, Lower Financial Centre Street between Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Khail Road, and one direction of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard in Downtown Dubai. RTA advises drivers to use Upper Financial Centre Street, Zabeel Palace Street, Al Wasl Road and Al Khail Road instead, to plan journeys ahead and to follow the signs on the day.
Dubai Ride takes over the city's main highway once a year. Cyclists choose between a 12km route on Sheikh Zayed Road, which passes the Museum of the Future, the Dubai Water Canal bridge and Burj Khalifa, and a flat 4km family route through Downtown past Dubai Mall and Dubai Opera. Riders are asked to arrive between 4am and 6am; the routes open at 6.15am, the last start is 7.30am and the routes close at 8am. The extra time on either side of the ride is for setting up and clearing the course.
For riders, the Metro starts at 3am on Sunday, earlier than its usual Sunday opening, and runs until midnight. RTA suggests keeping at least Dh30 on your nol card to cover the trip there and back. Bicycles are not allowed on the Metro, so anyone riding their own bike in should plan to drive or cycle to the start. RTA has named parking at Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai Mall and Zabeel, and warns that spaces near the start gates may be limited.
If you are not riding and need to cross the city before 9.30am on Sunday, use Al Khail Road or Al Wasl Road and leave extra time, as the roads around the start gates will be busy with cyclists arriving from 4am. Taking part is free but registration is required, and bibs must be shown at the gate. Closure times can change, so check RTA's channels on the morning before you set off.