Darb toll gates in Abu Dhabi, explained.

What the Darb toll is

Darb is Abu Dhabi’s electronic road-toll system. It was introduced to ease congestion on the routes onto Abu Dhabi island and to encourage public transport at the busiest times of day. There are no booths and nothing to stop for: cameras read the number plate as a vehicle passes under a gate, and the fee is deducted from the account linked to that vehicle.

If you have driven in Dubai, the idea will be familiar from Salik — but Darb is a separate system, run by Abu Dhabi’s transport authorities, with its own accounts, gates and rules. This guide explains how Darb tolls in Abu Dhabi work, and what they mean if you are booking a chauffeur rather than driving yourself.

Where the Darb gates are

Four gates sit on the main bridges onto Abu Dhabi island:

• Sheikh Zayed Bridge
• Sheikh Khalifa Bridge
• Al Maqta Bridge
• Mussafah Bridge

On 4 May 2026 two more gates began operating, bringing the total to six:

• Ghantoot, on Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Street (the E11) close to the Dubai border
• Al Qurm, on Wahat Al Karama Street at its junctions with Sheikh Zayed Street

Locations and rules can change, so for the latest map and any new gates, check the official Darb app or website before you drive.

When Darb tolls apply in Abu Dhabi

At the four bridge gates, charges apply at peak times only: from 7am to 9am and from 3pm to 7pm, Monday to Saturday. Outside those hours, on Sundays and on public holidays, crossing is free. During Ramadan the peak windows move to fit the shorter working day, and the exact times are announced each year.

The two newer gates at Ghantoot and Al Qurm work differently: they charge 24 hours a day, every day of the week. At the time of writing, the published fee is AED 4 per crossing, and exemptions apply to some categories of residents. If you are planning a journey around the rules, check the official sources first, because the details are adjusted from time to time.

What the peak windows tell you about traffic

Darb’s peak windows match the times when the bridges are busiest: commuters heading onto the island in the morning and leaving it in the afternoon. That is why the same journey across a bridge can take twenty minutes at ten in the morning and twice as long at five in the afternoon. For anyone with a flight, a meeting or a dinner booking, the toll is the smaller consideration; the traffic it reflects is the bigger one.

Our chauffeurs plan pick-up times around those patterns — leaving earlier for a late-afternoon departure from the island, or suggesting a meeting time that avoids the worst of the rush — which matters far more to your day than the toll itself.

Darb and Salik: two systems, one journey

Dubai’s Salik system uses a tag on the windscreen rather than an account linked only to the plate, and its gates sit on Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Khail Road and several crossings in the city. A drive from Abu Dhabi to Dubai along the E11 can now involve both: the Darb gate at Ghantoot, then one or more Salik gates once you are in Dubai.

Rental cars are usually registered with both systems, and the rental company passes the charges on to you under the terms of your agreement, sometimes with an administration fee. Residents driving between the two emirates in their own cars need to be set up for both.

How tolls work when you book a chauffeur

When you travel with Corniche Pearl, the vehicle is registered to us and the tolls are our cost, not yours. Every quote is written and fixed, and it includes the Darb gates — and the Salik gates on Dubai journeys — that the trip will cross, along with fuel and airport parking. You will not see a toll line added afterwards, and you never need to think about peak windows or registration.

If your plans change on the day and the chauffeur drives further or for longer, the extra time is charged at the hourly rate already written on your quote. The route is chosen for time and comfort, not to dodge a gate, so a peak-hour bridge crossing is never a reason for a detour that makes you late. Whatever the vehicle — a sedan or a 50-seat coach — any tolls on the route are covered by the quote in the same way.

Typical journeys and the gates they cross

Exact routes depend on traffic, but as a rough guide:

• Zayed International to a hotel on the Corniche or Al Maryah Island usually crosses one bridge gate
• Saadiyat Island to the Corniche or Al Mina crosses the Sheikh Khalifa Bridge gate
• Zayed International to Yas Island, or Yas to Saadiyat, normally crosses none
• Abu Dhabi to Dubai on the E11 crosses the Ghantoot gate at any hour, then Salik gates in Dubai
• A full day of hourly hire between the island and the mainland may cross several gates, at peak and off-peak times

For a chauffeur-driven booking, none of this changes your price. It matters much more if you are driving yourself and want to time your crossings — see the tips below.

Tips if you are driving yourself

• Check your rental agreement for how Darb and Salik charges are billed, and whether an administration fee applies
• If you own a car registered outside Abu Dhabi, read the official Darb registration requirements before you drive through a gate
• Plan island crossings outside the peak windows where you can — the four bridge gates are free then
• Remember that Ghantoot and Al Qurm charge at all hours, including Sundays
• During Ramadan, check the adjusted peak times before setting off
• Keep an eye on official announcements: gates, hours and fees have changed before and may change again

Or let someone else think about it

For visitors, the simplest way to deal with Darb is not to deal with it at all. A chauffeur-driven car, van or coach comes with every toll built into a single written price, flight tracking on airport runs and a driver who knows which bridge is quickest at that hour.

See our Abu Dhabi airport to Dubai transfer, which crosses the Ghantoot gate, our car with driver service for days with several crossings, or book online for a fixed quote. More route-specific advice is in our Zayed International pick-up guide.

Related: AUH to Dubai · Car with driver, hourly · Dubai & Al Ain Transfers · Zayed International pick-ups · Book online