All You Need to Know about Abu Dhabi's Darb Toll Gate
Do you live in Abu Dhabi or travel there often? If you travel or drive there by car, you need to know everything about Darb Toll Gate. Before it went live on January 2nd, 2021, Darb Toll Gate registered more than 100,000 vehicles. In this article, you will get all the information you need about this toll gate, including the information given by the Emirate’s public transport regulator, Transport’s Integrated Centre, and the Department of Municipalities.
What is Darb?
Darb is a smart toll collection system in Abu Dhabi similar to Salik in Dubai. But unlike Salik, you don’t need a tag stuck on the windshield for Darb. You need to create an account with your car’s number plate and credit money to the online wallet in the account. The sensors inside the Darb toll gate will automatically deduct the amount from the wallet once you pass through the toll gate. For a vehicle registered in Abu Dhabi, the account is automatically created in Darb. You just have to add money to the wallet. But for any other number plate belonging to the other Emirates, it will have to be registered with Darb either through the official website or by downloading the Darb mobile application.
Toll Gates and Locations
There are four toll gates located along four bridges that connect Abu Dhabi Islands to the mainland. Those bridges are, namely,
- Mussaffah Bridge.
- Al Maqtaa Bridge.
- Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Bridge.
- Sheikh Zayed Bridge.
The Cost of Passing Under a Toll Gate
Darb is not active throughout the day. The toll is only collected during the peak hours, i.e., in the morning from 7 am to 9 am and in the evening from 5 pm to 7 pm, Monday to Saturday. And the toll is free on Sundays and all public holidays. If motorists pass through these gates at these times, the toll, which is 4 AED, is deducted from the account wallet.
During the holy month of Ramadan, the timing of the peak hours will change. The peak hours will be 8.00 am to 10.00 am in the morning, and 2.00 pm to 4.00 pm in the evening on the weekdays (Monday to Saturday). And the toll will be free on Sundays.
The Maximum Daily Toll
Each vehicle can be charged a maximum of AED 16 toll per day. If a user has more than one vehicle, the first monthly toll will be a maximum of Dh200 for the first vehicle. For the second vehicle, the maximum toll will be AED 150, and any additional vehicles will be charged AED 100.
How to Register on Darb
Those who have previously registered for the Salik Abu Dhabi will be automatically registered for the Abu Dhabi toll gate for free. You just have to activate the account through the Darb official website.
All vehicle owners in UAE must register in the toll gate system #DARB_AbuDhabi. If you have a previously registered account, all you need to do is login to the toll gate system #DARB_AbuDhabi and activate your account … pic.twitter.com/cQzBkaU279
— “ITC” مركز النقل المتكامل (@ITCAbuDhabi) December 10, 2020
In order to create a new Darb account, you can do it through their official website or through the mobile application. Once the account has been created, you can register your vehicle. Commercial vehicles and private vehicle registration are done separately. To create the account, you need the following details:
- Valid email address
- The traffic code number
- The mobile number registered in the traffic file
- Emirates ID
There is a registration fee of AED 100 for the Abu Dhabi Darb toll gate. Out of this registration fee, AED 50 will be added to your wallet for the toll system as a starting balance.
If you own more than one car, you don’t have to separately add them to the account. Since the Darb website is linked to the Federal Traffic System, it will be automatically added to the account whenever you get a new car.
It is that easy to register in Darb Toll Gates.
The registration in the system is super easy and clear. But the process of registration on Darb is different for private vehicles and commercial vehicles. Here are the steps you need to follow:
The first thing you need to do is go to the Darb Toll website. Then, create your account on the website. You need to select the Individual option. After that, you should submit your valid email address. Then enter the OTP which will be sent to your email. Once you complete this step, choose the emirate where your car is registered, and then submit the traffic code and the registered mobile number. Now, enter the OTP, which will be sent to the number, and click the “Register” button on the dashboard in order to register your vehicle.
For a better experience, we’ve compiled these simple steps to register individuals on the toll gate system #DARB.
— “ITC” مركز النقل المتكامل (@ITCAbuDhabi) December 8, 2020
To register and create a new account, please visit our website https://t.co/oIhJpZ9SRR or download the DARB application to manage your personal account at any time. pic.twitter.com/auKDLKVIcA
How To Top Up The Wallet
Once registered, you can top up your wallet using either a credit card or an Amwal wallet. Once you log into your account, clicked the “Top Up” button and enter how much amount you want to top up and follow the payment steps.
Who Is Exempt from Tolls?
You can apply for exemptions from Darb toll. You can apply for the exemptions through Darb’s website or mobile app. In order to get them, you’ll be required to provide the supporting documents. Furthermore, the exemption is only limited to one vehicle. The categories of exemptions are:
Senior Emiratis, Retired Emiratis, People of Determination, Limited-income Emirati are exempted from toll gate system #DARB_AbuDhabi fees. Watch the video to learn about requesting an exemption from fees … pic.twitter.com/w89dhIXRon
— “ITC” مركز النقل المتكامل (@ITCAbuDhabi) December 13, 2020
Based on Eligibility.
- A vehicle owned by retired Emiratis
- A car owned by the Emirati with little income
- A vehicle owned by Emiratis aged 60 or above
- A car owned by people of determination
The other categories are:
- Public buses
- Towed vehicles
- Motorcycles
- Ambulances
- Public taxis with Abu Dhabi license
- Civil defence and armed forces vehicles having the emblems and plate numbers
- Passenger buses with a storage of 26 passengers or more
- School buses that are authorised by ITC
- Vehicles having the plate number of Abu Dhabi Police, police forces of other Emirates
Final Thoughts
In this article, we introduced the most important information you need to know about Darb toll. If you drive a car in Abu Dhabi, you need to be ready for the tolls and set a budget for that. If you have any other queries regarding the toll system or the Abu Dhabi toll gate registration process you can call: 800 850, or email: [email protected].