Dubai Metro Blue Line: route, capacity, travel time; everything you need to know – News
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The 30-kilometre extension of Dubai Metro’s Blue Line that was officially announced on Friday will not only reduce travel time and connect key neighborhoods with growth areas, but will also offer stunning views as you move around the city.
The Blue Line, scheduled for completion in 2029, will for the first time see trains crossing the historic Dubai Creek along a 1,300-metre-long viaduct supporting the elevated railway and connecting Al Jaddaf with Dubai Festival City and Dubai Creek Harbour. .
The Blue Line will also serve as a key integration point between the existing Red and Green Lines. It is part of the Dubai Urban Master Plan 2040, which aims to create a “20-minute city”, a transit-oriented approach where residents will have around 80 per cent of the essential services they need within a 20-minute travel time.
The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has shared the route, passenger capacity, travel time and service intervals between stations. These are the key takeaways:
Service areas
The Blue Line will connect Dubai International Airport (DXB) to nine key areas, including Mirdif, Al Warqa, International City 1 and 2, Dubai Silicon Oasis, Academic City, Ras Al Khor Industrial Area, Dubai Creek Harbor and Dubai Festival City. A significant reduction in travel time via the Blue Line between these destinations is expected, ranging from 10 to 25 minutes, according to RTA.
As part of the Urban Master Plan 2040, the Blue Line will also connect these nine areas with the five urban centers of Dubai, including the historic districts of Deira and Bur Dubai; the economic and commercial hubs of the Dubai International Financial Centre, Sheikh Zayed Road, Downtown Dubai and Business Bay; resorts in Dubai Marina and JBR; as well as the Expo 2020 Center and the Dubai Silicon Oasis Centre.
Mattar Al Tayer, director general of the RTA and chairman of the executive board of directors, said that around one million people living in the areas covered by the Blue Line will directly benefit from the project.
Seasons
The Blue Line will have a total length of 30 kilometers, of which 15.5 kilometers will be underground (at a depth of up to 70 meters) and 14.5 kilometers will be elevated rail.
A total of 14 stations will be built for the new route: nine are elevated stations and five are underground, including the largest underground interchange station within the metro network, covering an expansive area of 44,000 square meters to be located in International City and which can accommodate approximately 350,000 passengers daily.
The interchange points will be at Creek Station on the Green Line, Centrepoint Station on the Red Line and Dubai International City Station 1.
Al Tayer said the Blue Line will also be highlighted with an iconic station spanning 8,800 square meters at Dubai Creek Port. Its distinctive architecture is designed by world-renowned firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, which also designed Burj Khalifa, the Denver Union Railway Station in Colorado and the Sears Tower in Chicago, USA.
Routes
According to Al Tayer, the Dubai Metro Blue Line will have two main routes. The first route begins at the Creek Interchange station on the Green Line, located in Al Jaddaf. It then passes through Dubai Festival City, Dubai Creek Harbor and Ras Al Khor, before reaching Dubai International City 1, which has an interchange station. The route continues to Dubai International City 2 and 3, extending to Dubai Silicon Oasis and Academic City. This section is 21 km long and has 10 stations.
The second route of the Blue Line begins at the Red Line Centrepoint interchange station in Al Rashidiya. It will pass through Mirdif and Al Warqaa and conclude at Dubai International City Interchange Station 1. This route is 9 km long and includes four stations. There will also be a metro station at Al Ruwayyah 3.
Passenger capacity
The Blue Line is designed to handle an estimated capacity of approximately 56,000 passengers per hour in both directions at a service interval of approximately 1.5 minutes.
It is estimated that by 2029, about 50,000 Academic City college students will use the Blue Line.
By 2030, the Blue Line is expected to serve a total of approximately 200,000 passengers daily, increasing to 320,000 passengers daily by 2040.
Costs and benefits
Dubai’s latest public transport project will be built at a cost of Dh18 billion. The Blue Line will expand Dubai’s rail network to 131 kilometers, covering 78 stations and 168 trains.
RTA’s initial studies indicated that the total benefits of the project by 2040 will reach up to Dh56.5 billion, in terms of time and fuel savings, reduced accident-related deaths and lower carbon emissions. It is also aligned with the objectives outlined in the Dubai Economic Agenda, as it will not only facilitate mobility, but the value of real estate properties that will be covered by the Blue Line is estimated to appreciate by up to 25 percent.
Additionally, the subway line will reduce traffic congestion on served routes by 20 percent.
Deployment plan
The deadline for submitting bids for the Blue Line by contractors, joint ventures and consortia was set for Friday, November 24. The project award announcement will be made next year, while tunneling to create an underground corridor for the Blue Line will begin in 2025.
Trial operation is expected to take place in 2028 and the official launch is planned for 2029, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the Dubai Metro which was officially launched on September 9, 2009.
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