Dubai Metro quick guide
Published: Tuesday, September 8, 2009 with 24 Comments
www.timeoutdubai.com
Everybody is talking about Dubai Metro. Here are all the facts you need to know to join in the conversation
How much are the tickets?
Tickets will be rechargeable cards, which you can purchase from the vending machines in every station. There are four different colours: silver, blue, gold and red. A silver card costs Dhs20 (including Dhs14 of credit) and is designed for frequent travellers who just want to get from A to B. Individual fares then cost from Dhs1.80 to Dhs5.80. The blue card costs Dhs70 (including Dhs20 of credit) and is for people who want a personalised, secured card, complete with online services and loyalty programmes. Individual journeys with blue cards also cost from Dhs1.80 to Dhs5.80. The gold card is priced at Dhs20 (including Dhs14 of credit) and gets you access to the leather seats and carpeted Gold Class carriages. Gold fares then range from Dhs3.60 to Dhs11.60. Finally, a red ticket costs Dhs2 and earns you one trip – or you can pay Dhs4 for one trip in Gold.
Which stations are going to be open from September 10?
Ten of the Red Line’s 29 stops will be available from September 10 (official opening ceremony September 9): Nakheel Harbour & Tower, Mall of the Emirates, Financial Centre, Al Jafiliya, Khalid Bin Al Waleed, Union Square, Al Rigga, Deira City Centre, Airport T3 and Rashidiya Terminal.
What times will it be running?
From 6am-11pm, Saturday to Thursday, and from 2pm-midnight on Fridays. During peak hours they will run every three minutes and 45 seconds, although initially the frequency will be every 10 minutes.
Can you eat on the metro?
No – you will get fined Dhs100 for eating on a metro train.
What’s inside the stations?
Naturally the commercial potential of these sleek, pod-like hubs has not been missed. Inside them you will find shops, restaurants, coffee machines, banks, ATMs and first-aid trained station staff. And if you’re worried about crime, then fear not: a total of 3,000 CCTV cameras will keep an eye on Dubai Metro’s passengers.
What happens next?
The 19 stops that are not opening today should all be operating by February next year. Then, in June 2010, the Green Line – stretching from Jadaf on the Creek to Al Qusais – should open. The Red Line is also going to be extended, taking it to the Jebel Ali/Abu Dhabi border. In 2012 the Purple Line will link Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport in Jebel Ali (which should open June 2010). There are plans for a Blue Line to serve the two airports along Emirates Road and even a Yellow Line, but it’s unknown where this will run. Every stop will be served by buses, abras or water taxis, all with air-conditioned waiting areas. The whole caboodle should be in business by 2015.
What about the taxi drivers?
Surely taxi drivers will lose out on some custom due to the launch of the metro. What’s being done to compensate them?
Mansoor Al Falasi, director of franchise and monitoring at the Public Transport Agency responds:
‘The income of taxi drivers has actually increased by an average of Dhs1,500 over the past year, due to three main factors. Firstly, we introduced the Dhs20 charge to be added to the meter when customers want to go to Sharjah (a route that takes the driver through time-consuming extra traffic). Then there’s the fact that every meter is now tied to the amount of time a journey takes, rather than its distance, as well as the Dhs10 minimum fare charge for short trips. In a worst-case scenario, taxi drivers’ income has stabilised, rather than decreased. As for the metro impact; well, how much has the London Underground and the city’s transportation system impacted London cab drivers, for example? People will always take cabs when needed. We have thousands of beautiful buses and yet people are still taking cabs at their convenience. Customers now have more choices.’
The Wojhati Journey Planner
wojhati.rta.ae
Input your starting point and destination into www.wojhati.rta.ae and the site provides details on different Dubai route options, journey times, the mode of transport you should use, traffic problems and fares. You get the whole route mapped out with little animations – even detailing walking routes to bus stops. Eventually you’ll be able to buy tickets and reserve taxis on the site.
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Hi, I wanted to know if all passengers can travel on the 9th of September in the metro or only the people who has won the tickets on the radio can travel.
The other day I was watching a TV interview of a Dubai Metro Official saying that the Dubai Metro is the cheapest in the world.
But after seeing the fare chart I say that the Kolkata Metro is the cheapest in the world in spite of being a much poorer country than the UAE.The quality,facility and decor may be far richer than the Kolkata Metro.But in terms of fare…No way.
hi ,my nationality is lebanese i want to congratulate the uae for the opening of the dubai meto and i wish that a metro project will be helled in lebanon because lebanon is anamzing country and he should have been like dubai in the recent days but what can we say war have took lebanon backwards for ALMOST 50 YEARS ,AT THE END I WISH TO SEE THE SAME METRO PROJECT BING HELD IN BEIRUT AND TNX
hi ,my nationality is lebanese i want to congratulate the uae for the opening of the dubai meto and i wish that THE SAME metro project will be helled in lebanon because lebanon is anamzing country and IT should have been like dubai in the recent days but what can we say war have took lebanon backwards for ALMOST 50 YEARS ,AT THE END I WISH TO SEE THE SAME METRO PROJECT BING HELD IN BEIRUT AND TNX
Dubai has established, discovered, and always been projecting itself as an outstanding emirate in UAE. Thanks to HH Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and his vision and achievements. Praise be to Allah.
how strange is it that the metro is not starting til 2pm on a friday, i find that a pure waste of a public service and the 11 pm during the wk is absurd, it dont have a driver, a waste of a multi billion project
THE MOST AND URGENTLY NEEDED TRANSPORTATION PROBLEM HAVE BEEN SOLVED BY DUBAI METRO, BUT VERY IMPORTANT THAT THEY HAVE TO REVISE THE TIMINGS OF DUBAI METRO MUST BE EXPANDED, WHICH IS VERY LIMITED RIGHT NOW. I CONGRATULATE TO ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHO WORKED HARD TO ACHIVE THIS VERY CRUCIAL PROJECT OF DUBAI,AS A MAJOR SUCCESS FOR UAE.
It would be really nice if the metro could run from 6am to 3 midnight all throughout the week.
There are so many people who work in shifts here and it would be a great help to all of them.
it would be much better if it closes at 12 midnight every night, and the metro doors open for a long time its a waste of time ! also there’re way to much warnings and voice alarms. but other that all that its great!
Hi. My wife and I were in Dubai 2008 and were amazed at the scale of the Metro.In Sept this year we came again and were on the Metro on the first day of public use, we found the metro to be exciting and enjoyable. The system had its faults on the first day, but Im sure these will be sorted out, after all its brand new, london underground oldest in the world is plagued with fault.The only criticism I would make is that we didn’t quite understand the payment card system.But we wish Dubai Metro good luck with the rest of the project
Good job, Dubai Metro has indeed solved a lot of trafic and travel problems. But if the metro had to run from 5am to 1am, Sat-Fri,even the people who are working in shifts at night would have used the metro. And Friday, most of the people would want to for outings or shoppin or just for a ride on the metro in the mornings. They cant do this all if its closed in the mornings on Friday.
I really recommend metro to everyone. It is very useful and economical. I have a car yet I still prefer to use the Dubai Metro to avoid traffic congestion. Now, it is easier commuting every where in Dubai. Keep it up and I am waiting for the other stations to open. I hope there will be a connection from Dubai to Abu Dhabi so I can visit my family and friends whose living there.
Hullo. They should have made metro free on 11 September for anyone effected in New York.
Hamza
My Sir,
Please – why make metro staton at Airport if not allow to take luggages on train?
Shukran
METRO GUT OCHIN KARACHO!
Hello, the Dubai Metro looks amazing congratulations.
I would like to know when the remaining Red Line Stations are expected to open? The Emirates Headquarters Station is the one that helps me the most when I visit Dubai in June 2010.
Again congratulations
Traveller from Australia
Excellent work! I hope traffic is reduced this way.
Moving Dubai,
Really a 21st century mass public transportation plan, great work Dubai.
Hope the operating hour will change in the future.
At least it should be operating DAILY from 6am til 1am
Enjoy Commuting.
I am from Morocco. Metro looks good Congatslations!
“The 19 stops that are not opening today should all be operating by February next year”.
My question: did it? Are all stopes now serviced by the Red Line as of today?
I am frequent traveler , like to use Metro daily from JLT station no 37 to Khalid Bin whled road . Still no news when Jumairah lake tower Metro station will commence functioning. Will highly aoperciate ,To let me know tentative plan / datefor this station opening
Greetings,
I will be arriving in Dubai flying Emirates about midday on a Sunday in June 2010 and need to go by train from the airport to the Atlantis Palms. How do I go by train. I was told that there is a separate terminal for Emirates and that I will need to change train several times. Can someone please help.
can i go from airport to business bay
when the metro start at the morning ? who can provide me with the metro time-table