Tuesday 19 March 2024 (UAE)

Dubai Metro

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Dubai Metro Mass Transit public transport system

Dubai Metro information

The Dubai Metro (previously known as the Dubai Light Rail Transport DLRT, or Metro Dubai project) is Dubai's version of the London Underground, New York Subway, Vienna U-Bahn, Munich S-Bahn, or various other mass-transit system. The metro operates both above ground and below ground with RTA feeder buses ferrying passengers to metro stations to provide a cheap and efficient public transport system for Dubai residents and visitors. Launch date of the Dubai Metro Red Line was 09 September 2009 (09-09-09) for some stations with the remainder opening in 2010, and for the Dubai Metro Green Line was March ... June ... October ... November 2010 ... August 2011 ... 10 September 2011.

The Dubai Metro is the first public transportation system of this type in the UAE and the Middle East. Sort of. The Jumeirah Palm Island monorail was the first to start operating in May 2009 (and Emirates Airlines apparently has a monorail shifting food around in their catering facility). One major feature of the Dubai Metro is that the trains are driverless (resulting in lots of tourist photos of visitors at the front of the train going "Wheeeeeeeeeee!").

Dubai Metro operating times
  Saturday-Wednesday Thursday Friday
Red Line normal operating hours1 0550-2400 0550-0100 1300-0100
Green Line normal operating hours1 0550-2400 0550-0100 1300-0100
Eid Al Adha 2013 timings 0530-2400 or 0530-0300 0530-0300 next day 1000-0300 next day
Eid Al Fitr 2013 timings 0530-0100 next day 0530-0200 next day 0900-0200 next day
Ramadan 2013 operating times Red Line 0530-2400 0530-0100 1300-0100
Ramadan 2013 operating times Green Line 0550-2400 0550-0100 1300-0100
Ramadan 2012 operating times 0550-2400 0550-0100 1300-0100
Red Line timing from 01 Oct 2012 (trial) 0530-2400 (Red Line) 0530-0100 (Red Line) 1300-0100
Normal timings from 03 Sept 2011 0600-2400 (6am-midnight) 0600-0100 1300-0100
Normal operating times after 15 Oct 2010 0600-2300 (6am-11pm) 0600-2400 1300-2400
Normal operating times 2009-2010 0600-2300 (6am-11pm) 0600-2400 1400-2400 (2pm-12am)
Ramadan 2010 operating times 0600-0100 (6am-1am) 0600-0100 1400-0100 (2pm-1am)
Eid and National Day 2009 0630-0030 (630am-1230am) 0630-0030 0630 or 1400 to 0030
Ramadan 2009 opening hours 0600-2400 (6am-12am) 0600-2400 1400-2400 (2pm-12am)
  1. Conflicting information supplied by the RTA (Aug 2013) - Friday start time 1300 or 1400 (should be 1300?), Thursday finish time 2300 or 2400 (should be 2400?), weekday start time 0530, 0550, or 0600 - should be 0530 for Red Line express trains, and 0550 for normal services on Red and Green Lines. Times given in italics are correct as far as we know.
Dubai Metro Museum project
DIFC pedestrian bridge from Dubai Metro
Photography on or of the Dubai Metro
Dubai Metro expansion - Red and Green Lines
Dubai Metro expansion - Stage 2 and 3 (or Phase 2 and 3)
Dubai Metro connection to the UAE rail network
Train frequency and metro timing updates
Express trains - "Metro Express" service
Order a taxi from Dubai Metro
Dubai Metro stations renamed

12 November 2012 (RTA announcement)

Dubai Metro length and train frequency update March 2011
Dubai Metro Red Line stations opening in late 2010
Dubai Metro operating times (announced by the RTA 30 August 2009)
Dubai Metro highlights
Dubai Metro lowlights and whines
Dubai Metro check in kiosks for Dubai Airport flights
Dubai Metro limits on luggage - May 2010
Dubai Metro Stations open on the Red Line

The Dubai Metro Red Line will have 29 stations when fully operational. However, the expected number of Dubai Metro stations opening on 09 September 2009 opening date is 9, 10, 17, 22, or 29 depending on whether you believe RTA statements, unnamed sources reported in the media, or anonymous blogs. As the opening date approached, it was clear to anyone driving past the Dubai Metro stations under construction that either the RTA had a good deal more optimism than most people or they had found a way to increase the number of hours in the day to 40 or 50.

My City, My Metro

My City, My Metro is the RTA marketing campaign leading up to the start of the first Dubai Metro public journeys, and into 2010. The My City, My Metro campaign was launched in June 2009 and will consist of 3 phases lasting 1 year. Saatchi & Saatchi were awarded the marketing contract for the Dubai Metro.

Dubai Metro lines in operation, under development, or planned
Dubai Metro 2030 lines future expansion map
Dubai Metro 2030 lines future expansion map

Dubai Metro 2030 map of future plans for expansion. First seen in KT report 17 Jan 2013. Unclear if original source is KT, RTA, WAM, or another body. Higher resolution image not provided.

Map of Dubai metro, Palm Jumeirah, tram lines planned and proposed, May 2007
Dubai Metro lines operating and planned (old map, possibly May 2007)

Original source unknown (RTA?), image date appears to be May 2007 - before 2008-2009 when a number of planned projects in Dubai were suspended, delayed, or cancelled, including the Jebel Ali Waterfront and Deira Palm Island.

List of Dubai metro lines, operating and planned
Dubai Metro lines unconfirmed, proposed, suspended, abandoned or made up
Dubai Metro operating information
Other Dubai Metro numbers and information
Passenger numbers on the Dubai Metro
Month Number Month Number Month Number
    January 2010   January 2011 4.7 million
    February 2010   February 2010 4.6 million
           
Total 2009   Total 2010 38.9 million Total 2011  
Dubai Metro Nol cards, tickets and fares

Dubai Metro tickets - more information and table of Dubai Metro fares and Nol card details.

Dubai Metro wireless broadband internet network
Dubai Metro Feeder Lines

In 2005 and 2006 there were reports of several proposed monorail feeder lines to connect various areas and developments with the Dubai Metro. Possible and proposed locations for the additional light rail systems included Al Sufouh, Business Bay, City of Arabia, DIFC, Downtown Burj Dubai, Dubai Festival City, Dubai Waterfront, Dubailand, Palm Deira, Palm Jebel Ali, Palm Jumeirah. Apart from the Palm Jumeirah feeder line, which isn't connected to the Dubai Metro anyway, and the Al Sufouh Tram (under construction in 2009-2011), the others have faded away (as has progress on most of those developments in 2009). However there will be feeder bus services through the more populated areas of Dubai linking with the nearest Dubai Metro station.

Shops and retail facilities in Dubai Metro stations

Dubai Metro stations will each have from 2 to 12 retail outlets (see pages about each of the Dubai Metro lines for a table with numbers of shops at each station) including a convenience store in each station.

List of Dubai Metro stations with shops
Metro Park n Ride facilities
Dubai Metro Tunnel Boring Machines (TBM)
Dubai Metro History and Timeline
Dubai Metro Themes
Dubai Metro Cost
Dubai Metro revenues and profit
Dubai Metro depots
Dubai Metro public transport connections
Dubai Metro naming rights
Dubai Metro miscellaneous facts and numbers
Dubai Metro Eid and National Day 2009 operating times (announced by RTA 25 November 2009)

Dubai Metro operating hours for Eid Al Adha and UAE National Day holiday period (from Thursday 26 November to Friday 04 December 2009) were announced as 0630 to 0030 (half past midnight) including Fri 27 Nov but from 1400-0030 on Fri 04 Dec 2009. The RTA will monitor passenger traffic with a view to possibly extending Dubai Metro hours slightly, according to Peyham Younes Parham when talking on Dubai Eye radio on Wed 25 Nov 2009.

Last update Wednesday 24-Dec-2014
Related pages
Related websites (new window)
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www.dubaifaqs.com/dubai-metro.php (PDF and print version).

Abu Dhabi AUH ABD ADB, Ajman AJM, Al Ain AAN, Dubai DXB, Fujairah FUJ, Ras Al Khaimah RAK, Sharjah SHJ, Umm Al Quwain UAQ

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