Emirates Road towards Sharjah closes 1am to 5am nightly until 15 November

Drivers heading from Dubai to Sharjah on Emirates Road (E611) at night need another route for the next two weeks. Etihad Rail announced on its social media accounts that the road will close in the Dubai to Sharjah direction for four hours every night, from 1am to 5am, while it carries out railway works. The closures started on Friday 30 October and run until Sunday 15 November.

Etihad Rail listed the affected locations as Maleha Street, Emirates Road and the area around Sharjah Mosque. It asked motorists to follow the traffic signs and diversions around the works, apologised for the inconvenience and thanked drivers for their patience. Gulf News and What's On both reported the same hours and dates.

The work is part of the build-out of the national railway, which started carrying passengers between Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah's Al Dhaid and Fujairah this autumn. Etihad Rail said it sold 120,000 tickets in its first month. More stations are on the way: Gulf News reports that two new stations in Abu Dhabi's Al Dhafra region, at Zayed City and Liwa, are due to open on 30 November.

What it means for drivers: if you work night shifts, drive for a delivery company or head to Sharjah or the northern emirates late at night, plan to travel before 1am or after 5am until 15 November, or allow extra time to follow the diversions. The closures affect the Dubai to Sharjah direction only, according to Etihad Rail's announcement. Traffic going the other way, towards Dubai, was not included in the notice. From Monday 16 November the road is due to return to normal.