The new fees will apply after July 21
2 July 2019
| Last updated on 19 January 2020Shoppers, pay attention - Dubai Marina Mall has plans to introduced paid parking this month.
For the very first time, one of our favourite malls in Dubai will be launching paid parking during the week.
Signs inside the mall have been advertising that free parking will continue from July 1 to 20 under a trial basis, with paid parking set to be introduced from July 21.
Once live, tariffs will apply to drivers from Sunday to Thursday. Thankfully, parking will remain free on weekends.
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From 6am to 6pm on weekdays, parking will be free for the first three hours, after which, a AED 20 charge will apply for every extra hour.
Exceptions include free parking during weekends and on public holidays. The new charges shouldn't affect shoppers who visit the mall, but it will likely affect anyone who visits Dubai Marina Mall for entertainment or Pier 7 for dinner and drinks.
Cinema-goers will get an additional two hours of parking if they validate their tickets at the cinema counter.
Paid parking is already in place at other malls across Dubai, with Mall of the Emirates allowing four free hours of parking for shoppers before charging incremental amounts. Malls like Deira City Centre and BurJuman have also introduced parking fares to encourage shoppers to use public transport.
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The fees at malls also dissuade individuals from parking their cars in malls for the day while they walk or use public transport to head to work. It will also discourage drivers from parking overnight.
Mixed views have been shared online, but the general feeling is in support of the new fees... After all, we're all familiar with how tedious it can be to find a parking space in Dubai Marina Mall sometimes.