By Mahmood Saberi, Senior Reporter www.gulfnews.com
Dubai: The only difference between the Silver and Gold Class is that the Gold Card holders get to ride the train right in the front, getting a cockpit view of the Dubai city whizzing past.
Since you are paying double for the VIP ride (Dh4.60 as compared to Dh2.30 for Silver), the seats are a little more plush and this section is the only one which has a luggage section. But it is on the ground and looks like it can hold only about five small suitcases, for the 20 passengers in this section.
Since it was the first day, attendants had to keep reminding passengers to move back away from the VIP and the women’s sections as curious passengers walked the length of the train.
The VIP riders get a little more privacy as a door can be closed, demarcating the sections.
Lin Chen, a train attendant, had her hands full, politely making the passengers leave the ladies and Gold sections. She said she started work at 4 am and at around noon had already done four loops between Al Rashidiya and Mall of the Emirates stations.
Ebrahim Abdullah, who works in a bank, said the ride compares to any European subway system, if not better. “The air-conditioning is good,” he said.
Aamer, a student, said the seats are bigger and comfortable. “There are less people (in this section),” he said.
In the Silver section, you have to scrunch up to your neighbours at some popular stations like Mall of the Emirates from where everyone seemed to be alighting the train yesterday.
Derek Helman and Cindy, working with Emirates, said the Metro seemed “real fancy, lot more futuristic.”
Helman said his apartment is so situated on Shaikh Zayed Road that he has to pay Salik just to get home.
The train will now save him some money.
