Ride-hailing: Dubai’s busiest days, longest journeys and peak hours revealed by Zed
Dubai ride-hailing platform Zed has unveiled a data-driven snapshot of how the city will fare in 2025.
Its Annual Report on Motion 2025 brings together passenger behaviour, travel patterns, and lifestyle trends to map how residents and visitors have navigated Dubai over the past year.
The data paints a picture of a fast-moving, diverse, and increasingly connected city. One user alone recorded 572 rides over the course of a year, and the longest single ride at a time lasted 224 minutes, highlighting how horse riding has become embedded in daily routines, from commuting to long-distance commuting.
Walking in Dubai
Reflecting Dubai’s multicultural population, 165 different nationalities used the Zed app in 2025, underscoring its role as a shared mobility option for both residents and visitors.
Payment options also reveal important behavioral trends, with cash used to ride 47 percent, which reinforces the continued importance of flexibility and accessibility in daily activities.
In terms of locations, Business Bay emerged as the most popular drop-off location, while Dubai Mall ranked as the most booked location.
The busiest booking day of the year was October 30, while March 24 recorded the highest number of completed trips, reflecting the peak of the season in urban travel.
Ridership followed a clear daily pattern across the city. 6pm was the most popular time to book a ride, along with commuting from work to leisure and entertainment. Overnight bookings were strongest at Dubai Marina, while Jumeirah Village Circle recorded the highest number of morning trips, highlighting how different communities move at different times of the day.
Zed car figures
The year also saw a big difference in the distance traveled. The longest single journey covered 265km, while the shortest was just 450m, showing that riding in Dubai caters for everything from inter-city travel to super light journeys.
Promotions continued to play a role in attracting new users, with ‘ZED50’ emerging as the most used promo code of the year, encouraging first-time passengers to take the first discounted trip.
Badr Al Ghurair, CEO of Zed, said: “Zed’s Year in Motion 2025 provides a fascinating snapshot of how Dubai is moving not just in numbers, but in habits, rhythms, and daily behaviors. These insights reflect a dynamic, diverse, and always-on-the-move city. Dubai.”
Abhinav Patwa, Executive Vice President and Head of Zed, said: “What stands out from this year’s data is how riding has changed from convenience to everyday essential. From early morning commutes in residential communities to late-night hangouts and long commutes, these trends help us design smarter, more insightful ways for people to live in Dubai.”
