Last Exit on the E11: the food-truck parks between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and what the road does to property
Last Exit is a chain of themed food-truck parks along the UAE highways, and on the E11 between Dubai and Abu Dhabi it is the stop people make by choice. The drive takes roughly an hour to an hour and a half, and that figure shapes where people in both emirates live, work and buy.
What is Last Exit?
Last Exit is a chain of themed food parks along the highways of the UAE, built around food trucks, unusual design and atmosphere. On the road between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, one of the busiest in the country, the parks have become something of a cult stop.
The difference from an ordinary stop is the concept. People pull in for the atmosphere, the street food and the photogenic sets, not because they have to. For a family with children it turns a routine drive into part of the entertainment.
They are also simply convenient: a colourful place to rest and eat in the middle of a long drive, which is all most travellers ask of a stop.
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How does the Dubai–Abu Dhabi road work?
The main artery between the two emirates is the E11 — Sheikh Zayed Road, which becomes Sheikh Maktoum Road. The journey takes roughly an hour to an hour and a half, depending on where you start and finish, the time of day and the traffic.
On weekday mornings the dense flow runs towards Abu Dhabi, and in the evenings it runs back. Thousands of people travel between the emirates to work every day.
When planning a trip, allow a margin for the peak hours, and remember that the final stretch through the city can take as long as the highway itself.
That is exactly why stops such as Last Exit are in demand. They let you break the journey, sit out the peak and carry on along a clear road.
Where else can you stop on the way?
Besides the themed food parks, the route has conventional fuel-station complexes with cafes, mini-markets and prayer rooms. They are fast and functional, and they leave no impression at all.
Food parks offer food trucks, themed design and places to rest. Roadside malls and outlets are the third format — a way of combining the drive with shopping.
If you are travelling with children, or have a business meeting immediately on arrival, choose the stop in advance and do not take the first one that appears. The quality of the food and of the toilets along the highway varies noticeably.
Can you live in one emirate and work in the other?
Yes, and it has long been normal among expatriates: a home in Dubai and an office in Abu Dhabi, or the reverse. The arrangement combines the career opportunities of one emirate with a preference for living in the other.
Some choose Dubai for its infrastructure and pace, others Abu Dhabi for a calmer rhythm. What decides whether the arrangement works is the real door-to-door time, not the distance on a map.
Before choosing a home for a commute like this, drive the route on a weekday at your own working hours — out in the morning, back in the evening.
Half an hour of difference each way comes to something like 250 hours a year. That is a direct argument when comparing districts and prices: a slightly dearer apartment closer to the highway exit is sometimes the economically justified one.
What should a buyer check in a district near the E11?
Districts with a quick exit onto the E11 earn a steady premium in demand from people who travel between the emirates regularly. Closeness to the highway cuts both ways, though: the home should be near the interchange, not near the noise.
Measure the time to the highway at peak hours, not at night. Check which side of the road the district sits on, because one extra U-turn eats minutes every day.
Assess the noise: the row of buildings directly on the road is cheaper for a reason. And look at the road-building plans, since a new interchange changes how attractive a location is.
For an investor this is a filter of its own when selecting property. The commuting tenant is stable and solvent, and renews the contract for as long as the job in the neighbouring emirate lasts.
Why does the road matter for property values?
Because Dubai and Abu Dhabi are the two centres of business and daily life, and a convenient road widens the choice of both homes and jobs. Good connectivity makes locations halfway between them more attractive and feeds demand for housing along the main routes.
Highway infrastructure is part of the comfort of living in the UAE. Travel time and the convenience of the route are real factors in quality of life and in the liquidity of a location, and belong in any plan to live or invest here.
The effect on rents is indirect. Districts with convenient access to the inter-emirate route are consistently sought after by people working in the neighbouring emirate, which supports occupancy and rental rates.
Splitting a portfolio between the two emirates
Connectivity opens one more option for an investor: holding property in both markets. The emirates move to different rhythms — development cycles, tenant mix and regulatory emphasis all differ — so assets in the two cities sag at the same time less often.
An hour to an hour and a half of driving lets you look after both in person, with no flights and no extra intermediaries.
It is sensible to begin with the market you know better and add the second emirate once the first property has settled into a stable income. The road, and stops like Last Exit, turn regular inspection trips from a chore into an ordinary part of the working schedule.
Frequently asked
How long does the drive from Dubai to Abu Dhabi take?
Roughly an hour to an hour and a half on the E11, depending on the start and end points, the time of day and congestion. The final stretch through the city can take as long as the highway itself.
Can you travel between Dubai and Abu Dhabi without a car?
Yes. Intercity buses run between the emirates, and taxi and car-sharing services operate. For regular journeys a car of your own remains the most flexible option, because the bus timetable does not suit every schedule.
Are there tolls on the route?
Dubai operates the Salik road-toll system at specific gates, and Abu Dhabi has its own system at the entrances to the city. The amounts are small, but for daily travel they belong in the budget alongside fuel.
Does the highway affect rents?
Indirectly, yes. Districts with easy access to the route between the emirates are steadily in demand among people who work in the neighbouring emirate, and that supports occupancy and rental rates.
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