ParkSouq
For drivers

Parkin seasonal card or a private monthly bay: which suits a daily commute?

9 October 2026 · 5 min read

If you drive to work in Dubai every day, there are two ways to pay for parking by the month: a Parkin seasonal card for public paid parking, or a private bay rented in a building. They cost different amounts because they solve different problems.

Quick answers

How much is a Parkin seasonal card in Dubai?
A Parkin seasonal card for street and plot parking in zones A, B, C and D costs AED 500 for one month, AED 1,400 for three, AED 2,500 for six and AED 4,500 for twelve, as published in May 2025. Parkin said in August 2026 that seasonal card rates had not changed.
Does a Parkin seasonal card reserve a parking bay?
No. It lets you park in any free public bay in the zones it covers, but it does not hold a specific bay for you, and it does not cover private car parks in towers, malls or free zones.
What does a private monthly parking bay cost in Dubai?
Private monthly bays listed publicly in Business Bay in October 2026 asked between AED 600 and AED 1,100 a month. ParkSouq rents reserved, covered bays for working hours (Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 18:00) at AED 650 a month.

What a Parkin seasonal card is

A seasonal card is a subscription to Dubai's public paid parking, the street and plot parking run by Parkin. You buy it in the Parkin app or on its website for one to twelve months, and you can park in any free public bay in the zones it covers without paying by the hour.

These are the prices Parkin published in May 2025. Parkin said in August 2026 that seasonal card rates had not changed.

What it covers1 month3 months6 months12 months
Street and plot parking, zones A, B, C and D (also Dubai Hills 631G and Silicon Oasis H)AED 500AED 1,400AED 2,500AED 4,500
Plot parking only, zones B and DAED 250AED 700AED 1,300AED 2,400

One card can hold up to three vehicles on one Dubai traffic file, but only one can be active at a time.

Why more drivers are buying them

Since 4 April 2025, Dubai's busiest public parking areas charge more at peak times: 08:00 to 10:00 and 16:00 to 20:00, except on Sundays and public holidays. In one example zone, an hour at peak went from AED 2 to AED 6. A commuter who arrives at 08:30 and leaves at 17:30 parks through both peaks every day.

Drivers have noticed. Parkin sold 97,500 seasonal cards in the second quarter of 2026, 38% more than a year earlier.

What a seasonal card doesn't do

  • It doesn't reserve a bay. You can park in any free public bay in your zones, but if they're full when you arrive, you keep looking.
  • It doesn't cover private car parks. Towers, malls and free zones often have their own operators and prices. DIFC's main car parks, for example, charge up to AED 25 an hour.
  • Street and plot bays are open-air, which matters from May to October.

What a private monthly bay gives you

A private bay is a specific bay in a building's car park, rented to you by the month. It's usually covered, it's held for you, and it's in or next to the building you work in. It costs more: private monthly bays listed publicly in Business Bay in October 2026 asked between AED 600 and AED 1,100 a month.

ParkSouq rents bays for working hours only, which is all most commuters need: AED 650 a month, Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 18:00. The owner gets the bay back every evening.

Which suits you?

A seasonal card is probably enough if there's public paid parking near your office that usually has free bays when you arrive, you don't mind parking in the open, or you drive to different parts of the city during the day.

A private bay is worth it if the street near your office is full by the time you get there, your office is in a tower or free zone whose car park isn't covered by the card, you want shade in summer, or you'd rather not start every day looking for a space.

Sources

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