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Dubai · Salik · Last verified September 30, 2026
Salik is Dubai’s barrier-free road-toll system. You do not stop at a booth: the vehicle passes under a toll gantry and the charge is deducted automatically from the linked Salik account. Since January 2025, charges vary by time of day.
Current Salik charges
| Period | Weekdays | Sundays* |
|---|---|---|
| 6:00–10:00 | AED 6 | AED 4 |
| 10:00–16:00 | AED 4 | AED 4 |
| 16:00–20:00 | AED 6 | AED 4 |
| 20:00–01:00 | AED 4 | AED 4 |
| 01:00–06:00 | AED 0 | AED 0 |
*Salik states that Sunday pricing can differ on public holidays and events. Ramadan has a separate timing structure.
How Salik works
Salik uses RFID technology. After you buy and activate the tag and place it on the vehicle windscreen, the gantry reads the tag as you pass underneath. The correct toll is deducted automatically from the prepaid Salik balance.
You do not stop or slow down specifically to pay the toll. Salik is designed as a free-flow system without toll booths or barriers.
How many Salik toll gates are there?
Salik currently lists 10 toll gates in Dubai:
- Al Safa North
- Al Safa South
- Business Bay Crossing
- Al Barsha
- Al Garhoud Bridge
- Al Maktoum Bridge
- Al Mamzar North
- Al Mamzar South
- Airport Tunnel
- Jebel Ali
The exact route matters because one journey can pass more than one gantry. Do not assume “driving on Sheikh Zayed Road” always means only one charge.
How much does the Salik tag cost?
Salik’s published investor documentation states that a Salik tag costs AED 100, including AED 50 in account credit. Online delivery can add an extra delivery charge, so check the live purchase channel before paying.
Once activated, keep enough balance in the Salik account to cover future toll passages. The Smart Salik app and official Salik website can be used to manage the account and recharge.
Peak, off-peak and free overnight hours
Since 31 January 2025, Salik has used variable pricing. On normal weekdays, the peak periods are 6:00–10:00 and 16:00–20:00 at AED 6 per gate. Off-peak weekday passages cost AED 4, and the 01:00–06:00 period is zero-rated.
On Sundays, the regular published rate is AED 4 outside the zero-rated overnight period, except where Salik applies special public-holiday or event rules.
Ramadan timings are different
Salik publishes a separate variable-pricing timetable for Ramadan. Because the hours shift from the normal weekday structure, check the current Salik timetable during Ramadan instead of relying on the standard schedule above.
What if you rent a car?
Rental vehicles usually already have the necessary toll arrangement, but the rental company may later charge you for Salik usage according to its own contract terms. The toll charged by Salik and any rental-company administration fee are separate things.
Before driving, read the rental agreement so you know how tolls are passed on and whether an additional processing charge applies.
New-driver checklist
- Buy a genuine Salik tag through an authorised channel.
- Activate the tag and attach it correctly to the windscreen.
- Keep enough prepaid balance in the account.
- Know whether your regular route crosses one or multiple gates.
- Remember the AED 6 peak and AED 4 off-peak structure.
- Check Ramadan/public-holiday timing changes when relevant.
- If using a rental car, check how the rental company bills tolls.
Official sources checked
- Salik — How it works and toll-gate locations
- Salik Annual Report 2025 — variable toll pricing
- Salik Annual Report 2025 — how Salik works
Verification date: September 30, 2026. Toll pricing, gate locations and special-event/Ramadan timings can change, so check Salik’s current timetable before a time-sensitive journey.
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