Dubai Marathon 2027: road closures, race-morning traffic and transport for runners

The Dubai Marathon 2027 is on Sunday 17 January, starting and finishing around the Dubai Police Academy in Umm Suqeim, opposite Madinat Jumeirah. At the last edition, RTA closed Abdullah Omran Taryam Street from 1am and parts of Jumeirah Street and King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Street from 4:45am. Runners should be dropped on Al Wasl Road.

The race starts before sunrise and the closures start in the middle of the night, so this is one Dubai event where getting there matters more than getting home. We plan event limousine and chauffeur transport for runners and their supporters, and this guide covers both sides: the roads you can’t use on race morning, and how to get a runner to the start on time.

Dubai Marathon 2027: date, start times and start areas

The organiser’s general information page confirms Sunday 17 January 2027 for the 26th edition, with four races on the morning.

Race	Start time	Where it starts
Marathon (elite)	5:45am	Umm Suqeim Road, by the Police Academy
Marathon (mass start)	6:30am	Umm Suqeim Road, by the Police Academy
10km Road Race	8:00am	Al Sufouh, just past Madinat Jumeirah
4km Fun Run	10:00am	Al Sufouh, just past Madinat Jumeirah

The marathon course is a seaside out-and-back. The organiser’s routes and maps page shows it starting on Al Taryam Road beside the Police Academy, running along Al Sufouh and Jumeirah Beach Road past Dubai Media City, the Palm Jumeirah entrance, Madinat Jumeirah and Burj Al Arab, covering the Jumeirah section twice, and finishing on the Police Academy parade ground. The marathon has a six-hour limit. (The maps on that page are labelled 2026, so check for an updated 2027 route nearer race day.)

When is the Dubai Marathon in 2028?

Edition	Date	Status
2025	Sunday 12 January 2025	Previous edition
2026	Sunday 1 February 2026	Last edition
2027	Sunday 17 January 2027	Confirmed by the organiser
2028	Not announced yet	Usually a Sunday in January; 2026 slipped to 1 February

Which roads were closed for the last Dubai Marathon?

For the 1 February 2026 race, RTA closed Abdullah Omran Taryam Street completely from 1am, and closed parts of Jumeirah Street and King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Street (the old Al Sufouh Road) from 4:45am. One lane on each of those two roads reopened from 8am. The 2027 plan hasn’t been published yet.

Road	Section closed	From	Reopening
Abdullah Omran Taryam Street	Between Umm Suqeim Street and Al Thowima Street (full closure)	1:00am	Not stated
Jumeirah Street	Between the Al Mehemal Street junction and the Dubai Internet City junction (partial)	4:45am	One lane from 8:00am
King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Street	Same section (partial)	4:45am	One lane from 8:00am

These are last edition’s closures, as RTA announced them and Khaleej Times reported them on 31 January 2026, the day before the race. RTA publishes each year’s plan close to race day, so expect the 2027 list in the days before 17 January and check it before you set an alarm.

Driving on race morning when you’re not running

If you live or stay in Umm Suqeim, Al Sufouh or along Jumeirah Beach Road, Sunday morning is slow until the lanes reopen. That includes guests at the beach hotels the course runs past, from Madinat Jumeirah to Burj Al Arab.

A few things we do on marathon mornings:

• Airport runs from the beach hotels: we route via Al Wasl Road or Sheikh Zayed Road rather than the coast road, and add time to the pickup.
• Crossing from the beach side to Sheikh Zayed Road: allow for slow junctions near the course; it runs parallel to the sea, so every trip inland has to get across it.
• Anything before 8am in the closure zone: if it can wait until late morning, let it wait.
• Palm Jumeirah and Dubai Media City: the course passes both entrances, so leave earlier than usual if you’re heading out that way.

The organiser asks drivers to stay away from Jumeirah Beach Road, Al Sufouh, Madinat Jumeirah and the Police Academy area altogether.

Getting runners to the start line

The organiser’s advice is specific. Taxi drop-off and collection happen on Al Wasl Road. Book in advance and arrive at least 90 minutes before your start, which means about 5am for the 6:30am mass start. Drivers should park at the Al Wasl Road junctions, away from the start and finish, or in the Mall of the Emirates and Al Barsha area, then cross the Dubai Metro bridge at Mall of the Emirates and walk past the Police Academy to Umm Suqeim Road.

What that means in practice:

1. Book the car for the time you need to be on Al Wasl Road, not your start time. From Al Barsha or the Marina, a 4:30am pickup for the mass start is sensible.
2. Check the metro before relying on it. For a dawn start, look up RTA’s Sunday opening time and whether it’s extended for race day.
3. Use the bag drop. Marathon and 10km runners get a bag in the race pack; put the bib sticker on it, because only that bag is accepted. Leave the rest in the car.
4. Supporters can split off. The car drops the runner on Al Wasl Road, then takes supporters to a spot outside the closures.

Bib collection week

Race packs are collected at The Agenda in Dubai Media City: Wednesday 13 January (12pm–10pm), Thursday 14 and Friday 15 January (10am–10pm), and Saturday 16 January (10am–5pm). Bring photo ID. A friend can collect for you with a printed copy of your confirmation email and their own ID. Weekday evenings in Media City are busy, so Saturday morning or a weekday lunchtime is easier.

Picking up after the finish

Runners finish over a long window: the elite runners in a little over two hours, the 10km field mid-morning, and the last marathon runners close to the six-hour cut-off. Nobody can tell you a pickup time in advance, so we work from the runner’s target time plus 45 minutes for the finish area and bag collection.

The pickup point is the same as the drop-off: Al Wasl Road, outside the closures. Bring a dry layer; January mornings by the sea are cool once you stop moving. For a group of runners from the same club, a Mercedes V-Class or a van keeps everyone together, and hourly hire (3-hour minimum) covers a staggered finish without paying for separate trips.

The marathon opens a busy fortnight. The Hero Dubai Desert Classic follows at Emirates Golf Club from 21 January, and our Dubai events calendar has the rest of the season.

Frequently asked questions

What time does the Dubai Marathon start?

The 2027 elite marathon starts at 5:45am and the mass marathon at 6:30am on Sunday 17 January, both on Umm Suqeim Road by the Police Academy. The 10km Road Race starts at 8am and the 4km Fun Run at 10am, from Al Sufouh just past Madinat Jumeirah. Aim to arrive 90 minutes before your start.

Which roads are closed for the Dubai Marathon?

At the last edition, on 1 February 2026, RTA fully closed Abdullah Omran Taryam Street from 1am and partially closed Jumeirah Street and King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Street from 4:45am, between the Al Mehemal Street and Dubai Internet City junctions. One lane reopened from 8am. RTA announces the 2027 closures close to race day.

Where can I park for the Dubai Marathon?

Not near the start. The organiser asks runners not to park on Jumeirah Beach Road, in Al Sufouh, at Madinat Jumeirah or around the Police Academy. Park at the Al Wasl Road junctions, or in the Mall of the Emirates and Al Barsha area, then cross the metro bridge at Mall of the Emirates and walk to Umm Suqeim Road.

Where do I collect my Dubai Marathon bib?

At The Agenda in Dubai Media City, from Wednesday 13 to Saturday 16 January 2027. Collection runs 12pm–10pm on Wednesday, 10am–10pm on Thursday and Friday, and 10am–5pm on Saturday. Bring photo ID, or send a friend with a printed copy of your confirmation email and their own ID.