Dubai Mall has moved its taxi pick-up and drop-off point from the well-known spot near Waitrose to Zabeel P3, effective Monday, August 12, 2024 — a change announced by the mall on its official Instagram story.
What Has Changed at the Dubai Mall Taxi Pickup Point
The long-established taxi rank in front of Waitrose is no longer in use for passenger pick-up and set-down. From August 12 onwards, taxis pick up and drop off visitors at Zabeel P3. To reach the rest of the mall from the new rank, visitors walk through the covered bridge tunnel from Ekart Zabeel — a route that keeps you out of the heat.
The new Zabeel P3 taxi stand is within walking distance of Dubai Mall's famous indoor waterfall, so the additional walking distance, while slightly longer than before, is manageable for most visitors.
How to Get to the New Zabeel P3 Taxi Zone
Head to Zabeel Parking, Level P3. The area is accessible through the bridge tunnel connecting Ekart Zabeel to the main mall. The walk from the taxi rank to the mall's central areas typically takes around 10 to 20 minutes, and can extend during peak hours or when travelling with a group.
This compares favourably to the Dubai Metro connection at the Dubai Mall–Burj Khalifa station, which also requires a walk of similar length along the dedicated covered bridge.
Parking and Expansion News
Zabeel Parking and the Fountain Views area continue to offer free parking for visitors, unchanged from before the taxi relocation. The mall introduced barrier-free, plate-number-based paid parking at certain zones in January 2024, but free zones remain available.
Dubai Mall is also in the midst of a Dhs 1.5 billion expansion that will add 240 luxury shops and restaurants to its existing 1.2 million square metres of retail space. The world's most-visited retail and lifestyle destination welcomed more than 105 million visitors in a single year — a record for any shopping destination globally.
Why the Change Was Made
The taxi relocation is part of Dubai Mall's ongoing effort to manage traffic flow and improve the visitor experience as footfall continues to grow. Centralising taxi operations at Zabeel P3 allows for more orderly queuing and eases congestion around the Waitrose entrance.
