The 30km Blue Line Dubai Metro extension is expected to reduce travel times, link important districts with regions of growth, and provide commuters with breathtaking city views. By 2029, the 1,300-meter viaduct supporting the elevated railway that connects Al Jaddaf with Dubai Festival City and Dubai Creek Harbour would have seen trains traverse the historic Dubai Creek for the first time.
The crucial point of integration between the current Red and Green Lines will be the Blue Line. The aim of the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan is to create a society that is transit-oriented and aims to create a “20-minute city,” where residents can obtain 80% of the essential services they need in less than 20 minutes.
The route, passenger capacity, journey time, and service intervals between stations have all been made public by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). The main conclusions are as follows:
Service areas
Blue Line will connect Dubai International Airport with nine key areas, including Mirdif, Al Warqa, International City 1 and 2, Dubai Silicon Oasis, Academic City, Ras Al Khor Industrial Area, Dubai Creek Harbour and Dubai Festival City. RTA estimates that the Blue Line trip time between these locations will be significantly shortened, often by 10 to 25 minutes.
Complying with the 2040 Urban Masterplan, Blue Line will also connect the nine previously mentioned areas to Dubai’s five urban centres: the historic districts of Deira and Bur Dubai; the commercial and economic centres of Sheikh Zayed Road, Downtown Dubai, Business Bay, Expo 2020 Centre, and Dubai Silicon Oasis Centre; and the tourism centres of Dubai Marina and JBR.
Approximately one million residents who live in the areas served by Blue Line will immediately benefit from the project, according to Mattar Al Tayer, director-general of RTA and chairman of the board of executive directors.
Stations
The Blue Line will be 30 km long in total, with 15.5 km being subterranean (down to a maximum depth of 70 metres) and 14.5 km being elevated rail.
There will be 14 stations built along the new route, including the largest underground interchange station in the metro system. There will be 9 elevated and 5 subterranean stations. It will be located in International City and span 44,000 square metres, with the capacity to handle 350,000 passengers per day. The interchange points will be located at Dubai International City Station 1, Creek Station on the Green Line, and Centerpoint Station on the Red Line.
Al Tayer claims that Dubai Creek Harbour’s stunning 8,800-square-meter station would set Blue Line apart. The world-famous firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, which also created the Burj Khalifa, the Denver Union Railroad Station in Colorado, and the Sears Tower in Chicago, USA, is responsible for the building’s unique architecture.
Routes
Al Tayer claims that there will be two primary routes for the Dubai Metro Blue Line. The first route begins at the Green Line’s Creek Interchange Station in Al Jaddaf. Following that, it travels via Ras Al Khor, Dubai Festival City, and Dubai Creek Harbour before arriving at Dubai International City 1, which is equipped with an interchange station. The path keeps going up to the Academic City and Dubai Silicon Oasis before reaching Dubai International Cities 2 and 3. There are ten stops along the 21 km length of this stretch.
The Blue Line’s second route begins at the Red Line’s Centrepoint Interchange Station in Al Rashidiya. It will end at Dubai International City 1 Interchange Station after passing through Al Warqaa and Mirdif. There are four stops throughout this 9-kilometer course. At Al Ruwayyah 3, a metro depot will also be there.
Passenger capacity
The Blue Line, with a service interval of approximately 1.5 minutes and designed to accommodate an estimated capacity of 56,000 people per hour in both directions, is expected to be used by 50,000 university students from Academic City by 2029. By 2030, it is projected that the Blue Line will transport over 200,000 passengers daily, and by 2040, it is anticipated to carry 320,000 passengers daily.
Cost and benefits
An estimated Dh18 billion will be spent on building Dubai’s newest public transport project. Dubai will have a 131 km railway network with 168 trains and 78 stations after the Blue Line is built.
According to preliminary RTA assessments, the project will save as much as Dh56.5 billion in fuel and time savings, fewer accident-related deaths, and lower carbon emissions by 2040. In addition to facilitating travel, the Blue Line is expected to increase the value of real estate by up to 25%, which is in line with the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda. The metro line will also result in a 20% reduction in traffic congestion on the routes it serves.
Rollout plan
On Friday, November 24, contractors, joint ventures and consortiums have till Friday to submit their bids for the Blue Line. The announcement of the project award will take place the following year, and in 2025, tunnel boring will begin to build an underground corridor for the Blue Line.
The official deployment is scheduled for 2029, which also happens to be the anniversary of the Dubai Metro’s official launch on September 9, 2009, with the trial operation anticipated to take place in 2028.
FAQs
How is the Dubai metro used?
You can pay for the metro with your NOL card. Using the Dubai Metro smartphone application (Android or iOS) or the RTA website, you may examine all of the metro stations and schedule your trip.
How can I get a Dubai NOL Card?
Any metro, bus, or water bus station in Dubai is where you may purchase a Nol card. Supermarkets such as Carrefour also sell it, and you can top off your Nol card balance at any vending machine, kiosk, or station booth.
When was the Dubai metro launched?
When Dubai Metro first opened in 2009, it had a route length of over 90 km and carried more than 500,000 passengers every day.
Are portions beyond the Dubai metro stations free to park?
Yes, all Metro passengers are entitled to free parking. AED 100 per day and up to AED 1000 in fines may be imposed on non-metro users who park their cars in the approved area.
Is there a connection between the airport and the metro train?
Yes, there is a metro station at Airport Terminal 3 that makes it easier for commuters to go to and from the airport to well-known locations including Dubai Marina, Jumeirah Lake Towers, Burj Khalifa, and Dubai World Trade Centre.
How many Metro stations are there?
Currently, the Red, Green, and Branch Metro lines comprise 57 stations that are operational