This is a project that is bound to change residents’ commute and even their decisions on where to live and work. Many have been waiting for a Metro station to come up near their area — on Friday, the Dubai Ruler has confirmed that this will soon be a reality with the Blue Line.
While it will not cover the entire emirate, the Blue Line will extend Metro services to major neighbourhoods where thousands of residents have lived for years — from International City to Mirdif, Academic City, Dubai Silicon Oasis, and Al Warqa, among others. It will also reach popular leisure destinations like Dubai Festival City and Dubai Creek Harbour.
With everyone excited to see the 14 new Metro stations rise, the question is: When will Blue Line start operations?
Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has mapped out the mega construction plan. And based on the timeline, residents can expect to take a train ride though the Blue Line’s underground and overwater rails six years from now — 2029.
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Here’s a timeline that the authority had shared:
- 2023: Tender’s release
- 2024: Awarding of project
- 2025: Start of tunnel boring
- 2028: Trial operation
- 2029: Official operation
The Blue Line is more than an infrastructure project — it is a message that shows how the city cares and values its residents.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has put it this way: “The Dubai Metro is part of the spirit of Dubai… and Dubai’s daily life is linked to it, connected through it, and connected to all its neighborhoods and residents by its presence.”
Two billion people have used the Metro since it was launched in 2009, and Sheikh Mohammed is confident that billions more will be taking the driverless ride day in and day out.