Travelling to Dubai or Abu Dhabi During Ramadan 2027: Dates, Etiquette and Getting Around

When is Ramadan 2027 in the UAE?

The projection comes from the UAE's astronomy authorities, as reported in The National in October 2026, and it will be refined closer to the date. The Hijri calendar follows the lunar cycle, which is why Ramadan moves roughly ten or eleven days earlier in the Gregorian calendar every year. Treat 8 February as a planning date, not a booking certainty.

For the end of the month, the National reports that Eid al-Fitr is projected for 9 or 10 March. UAE rules give three paid holidays for the first three days of Shawwal, and the National notes that if Ramadan runs 30 days, day 30 becomes a public holiday too, which with the weekend can give many residents a long stretch away from work. Because the dates are moon-dependent, announcements are often made the evening before.

For travellers, the practical rule is to book flexible tickets where you can and to keep hotels and transfers on terms that allow a one-day shift. Business trips are the most exposed: a meeting scheduled for the first week of February could land on the first day of the month, when schedules are at their most unsettled.

If your trip continues to Saudi Arabia or another country, remember that other authorities announce their own start dates. Our Riyadh King Khalid airport transfers page covers the Saudi side, and you should confirm local dates separately.

What changes for visitors during Ramadan 2027?

Less than many people expect, and more than a few people forget. Fasting Muslims abstain from food, drink and smoking from dawn to sunset, break the fast with iftar at sunset and eat suhoor before dawn. The UAE government is clear that non-Muslims are not required to fast, that restaurants, amusement parks and cultural and tourist sites stay open through the day, and that visitors are welcome to enjoy the atmosphere, which becomes especially lively after sunset.

The changes that matter in practice are these:

• Working hours are shortened by two hours a day under UAE labour law, which affects government offices, banks and many businesses.
• Some restaurants change their hours or close during the day and fully reopen at iftar.
• Paid parking hours change, and taxis are harder to find in the evenings.
• Shopping malls typically stay open late, and Abu Dhabi's tourism site says most extend to 1 am or 2 am on weekends.
• Hotels, pools and beaches carry on much as usual.

The greeting is "Ramadan Kareem" or "Ramadan Mubarak", and using it is appreciated.

What is the daytime etiquette for eating and drinking in public?

Both emirates ask visitors to be considerate, and the two tourism authorities word it slightly differently.

Dubai's government guidance says non-Muslims who are not fasting may eat and drink during the day, and asks that you avoid eating, drinking or smoking in public during fasting hours out of respect. Takeaway options are widely available, and many restaurants stay open.

Abu Dhabi's guidance is that restaurants and food courts open during fasting hours typically have designated seating areas for non-Muslims in malls, and that diners should be considerate of those who are fasting. The practical advice for both: eat in a mall's seating area, a hotel restaurant or your room rather than at a street bench or in a taxi, and keep a water bottle discreet.

Do not drink or eat in a car when a driver is fasting, which is simple courtesy. If you are travelling with children, pack snacks and use the designated areas without fuss. Nobody expects a young child to go hungry.

What should you wear?

The UAE's tourism bodies ask for modest dress in public. Dubai's guidance says to dress modestly in public, and to avoid aggressive behaviour, loud music and inappropriate language. Abu Dhabi encourages modest dress, suggesting shoulders and knees are covered in malls and at Ramadan events, and notes that hotel pools and beaches do not require a change to your usual holiday wear.

For a day of meetings, standard business dress is fine. For sightseeing, light long trousers or a knee-length skirt, and a top that covers the shoulders, work well in February's warm weather. If you plan to visit the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, check the mosque's own dress rules for that day before you go.

How does iftar change traffic and airport runs?

Traffic builds sharply before sunset, as people head home or to iftar gatherings, and Abu Dhabi's tourism site specifically warns that traffic gets heavy just before iftar and recommends booking taxis ahead. The UAE government adds that taxis are harder to find in the evenings. Both are reasons to pre-book.

The pinch point is the window from late afternoon to just after sunset. The shortened working day also pulls the office rush earlier than usual, so a drive that is easy at 3 pm can be slow at 4. After iftar there is a lull, and then the city comes alive again late into the night.

That table is our planning view, built from the official warnings about pre-iftar traffic rather than measured data, so treat the quiet hours as likely rather than guaranteed.

Our car with driver in Dubai page and Abu Dhabi page explain hourly hire, which suits Ramadan evenings when you do not want to hunt for a taxi after dinner.

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Dubai to Abu Dhabi during Ramadan

The drive between the two emirates is about 140 km (87 mi) and takes roughly 1 hour 30 minutes without traffic (OpenStreetMap road-routing data, free-flow). During Ramadan, the heavy traffic just before iftar can add to that, and a meeting that ends at 4 pm may mean a slow return. If you must make the trip, schedule departures for the morning or after the evening peak.

Choices include a bus, a taxi or a private car. Our comparison of the Dubai to Abu Dhabi bus versus private car covers the details. For airport-to-city transfers, we have separate pages on Dubai Airport to Abu Dhabi and Abu Dhabi Airport to Dubai.

The private car earns its place with a group, late evening arrivals and luggage. A train or bus can be the cheaper way to move one person with a daypack, if the timings suit.

Can you go out in the evening, and what is iftar like for visitors?

Yes, and for many visitors it is the best reason to come. Dubai's government says large tents set up across the city are a popular place for iftar and suhoor meals, and some restaurants open only after sunset to serve those meals. Abu Dhabi's tourism site says all restaurants reopen by iftar and that hotels offer special iftar menus, buffets and cultural events.

In Abu Dhabi, the end of the fast is marked by a cannon at sunset. You can watch it from several locations, including the grounds of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.

If an Emirati family invites you to iftar, accepting is considered polite, and a small gift such as a box of dates is a thoughtful gesture. Arrive on time, since the meal begins at sunset and the host is waiting to break the fast.

Book popular iftar tents and hotel buffets in advance. They fill in the first and last weeks of the month and on weekends, and the city moves at a different rhythm, so a 7 pm table in a distant venue needs a driver and a margin.

Tipping and service charges at iftar buffets

Visit Abu Dhabi says tipping is not expected but is commonly practised in the emirate. Many fine-dining and high-end restaurants add a service charge of about 10% and a 6% tourism levy, often built into menu prices, and the menu should indicate when they apply. If charges are included and you are happy, a further tip is optional but common. If they are not included, the site suggests adding 10 to 15% to the bill.

Dubai venues vary, so read the bill. If a service charge is listed, you are not obliged to add another amount on top; if it is not, a tip of that size is the usual gesture. Hotel staff, drivers and porters are tipped at your discretion.

Planning your arrival day

A Ramadan arrival works best when the hotel and the car are both told what you expect. If you land in the afternoon, ask the hotel whether the restaurant is serving during the day or only from sunset, because a hungry family after a long flight is a common problem in the first week. Agree where the driver will wait, share your flight number, and keep your phone on for the message that the car is outside.

If you land in the hour before sunset, assume the airport and the road into the city will be at their busiest, and that your driver may need a few extra minutes on the final approach to the hotel. If you land after dark, the roads are usually kind and the hotel lobby is often lively with iftar guests. Either way, a flight-tracked pickup with a name board in arrivals removes the guesswork: the driver adjusts to your actual landing time, not the scheduled one.

Eid al-Fitr: the end-of-month rush

Plan for a different kind of month-end. The Eid break arrives with its own travel surge, and airports, hotels and roads fill as residents leave or return. If you can choose, avoid arriving or departing on the first day of Eid itself.

For a business trip, the weeks around Eid are among the slowest of the year for decisions, since many offices are closed for several days. If you must travel then, build your schedule so nothing depends on a same-week signature. Our Dubai hotel transfers page shows how pickups from major hotels work, which is useful when every taxi rank is full.

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