Ramadan 2026 has officially commenced in the United Arab Emirates. Following the moon sighting by the official committee at Qasr Al Hosn in Abu Dhabi, it has been confirmed that Thursday, 19 February is the first day of fasting. Oman was the first Gulf country to confirm the date, followed by Turkey, Singapore, France, and Australia. For everyone in the UAE, this means adjusted working hours, changed traffic patterns, and shopping malls staying open late into the night.
The astronomical conditions made the date almost certain. On 17 February, the moon set before the sun across the entire region, and the angle between the sun and moon was below the Danjon limit, making visual sighting physically impossible. Furthermore, an annular solar eclipse occurred, confirming the alignment. The Khatm Astronomical Observatory in Abu Dhabi photographed the crescent moon as early as 16 February, when the moon was 15.7 degrees from the sun.
Ramadan 2026 is expected to last 29 days, meaning Eid Al Fitr will fall around 20 March. That is a Friday, so with Shawwal 1 to 3 from 20 to 22 March, many people will get a long weekend. Fasting times begin on day one at 12 hours and 46 minutes, increasing to 13 hours and 26 minutes by the end of the month. This is approximately 30 minutes shorter per day than last year.
Adjusted Working Hours and Shopping Times During Ramadan
For all employees in the private sector, there is a reduction of two hours per working day. No salary deductions are permitted due to the shortened working hours. Most companies adjust their office hours, which directly impacts traffic patterns in the city.
Shopping malls in Dubai shift their opening hours and stay open past midnight for shoppers after iftar. This is an annual pattern during Ramadan, when social life moves to the evening and night. Restaurants serve iftar buffets, and the atmosphere in the city changes completely.
For those living in or visiting Dubai during Ramadan, it is useful to know the four peak traffic periods. The morning rush occurs between 8:30 and 10:30, about an hour later than usual due to the adjusted working hours. The E11 between Jebel Ali and Dubai World Trade Centre slows to an average of 20 to 30 kilometres per hour.
The absolute busiest period is the pre-iftar and iftar rush between 17:00 and 19:15. Some sections of the E11 and Al Khail Road record two to three times the normal travel time. From 17:00 onwards, roads turn dark red on navigation apps. After Taraweeh, between 21:00 and 23:30, the access roads to malls such as Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates, Ibn Battuta, and City Centre Mirdif become busy. And surprisingly, there is also traffic between 2:30 and 4:30 in the morning around 24-hour restaurants in areas like Satwa, Karama, and Al Barsha for suhoor.
Smart Routes and Timing to Avoid Traffic Jams
There are alternative routes that can help during the iftar rush. If the E11 is congested, Al Khail Road (E44) is often a better option. If Al Khail itself is busy near Dubai Hills or Business Bay, you can turn onto Al Asayel Street or Al Meydan Road. For the route from Deira to Sharjah via Al Ittihad Road, the E311 via Mirdif and Dubai Silicon Oasis or the E611 Al Reem Highway is an alternative. And if the bridges to Abu Dhabi are congested, Mohammed Bin Zayed Road (E20) via the Musaffah Bridge often provides a solution.
Note that Umm Suqeim Road (D63) and Al Wasl Road (D92) may appear on the map as convenient shortcuts through Jumeirah, but these fill up quickly with residential traffic and delivery services during iftar.
In terms of timing, the following works: if you are home by 17:15, you avoid the worst of the rush. If you wait until 19:30, the roads are largely clear, about 45 to 60 minutes after iftar. If you leave for work before 8:00, you are ahead of the morning peak. And the metro has extended opening hours, which eliminates traffic entirely.
A handy tip for navigation apps: Google Maps has a feature to set a departure time that uses historical Ramadan data to predict travel time. Waze is faster for real-time rerouting during iftar because it uses crowd-sourced incident reports, and UAE drivers actively report accidents and delays during Ramadan.
Iftar times vary from approximately 18:10 in mid-February to 18:40 in mid-March. Ramadan Mubarak to everyone.
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