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Dubai is set for its largest public transport expansion with the launch of a new Dubai Metro line announced by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The Dh34 billion project will expand the Dubai Metro network by around 25 per cent and is scheduled for completion on September 9, 2032.

Announced on Wednesday, April 22, Sheikh Mohammed said that the ‘Gold Line’ will be a fully underground metro line spanning 42km, running at depths of up to 40 metres and passing through 15 strategic areas across the emirate. In a social media post, he described it as the largest transportation project in Dubai’s history, designed to strengthen connectivity across the city’s rapidly expanding residential and commercial zones.

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Sheikh Mohammed wrote: "We are pleased to announce the largest transportation project in Dubai: a new 42-kilometre metro line. It will pass through 15 key strategic areas across the city, serve approximately 1.5 million residents, and strengthen connectivity to 55 major real estate developments currently under construction."

The Dubai Ruler also restated the city's long-term development vision, and said: "Our landmark projects to position Dubai as the world’s best city to live in are on track. Our future endeavours will not stop; rather, they will accelerate. Our plan is to build a better future for millions of people. We stand by our words and deliver on them."

Gold Line to transform Dubai's transport system

“There is no finish line for progress and excellence,” boomed Sheikh Mohammed's voice in a video that flashed out the major key details of the transportation project.

The largest transportation project in Dubai's history is designed for better connectivity across the city’s rapidly expanding residential and commercial zones.

Once fully operational, the line is expected to serve around 465,000 passengers daily by 2040, supporting the emirate’s growing demand and expanding urban population. The project will also support more than 55 major real estate developments currently under construction.

The line will run from Al Ghubaiba to Jumeirah Golf Estates, linking several key areas of the emirate, including Bur Dubai, Satwa, Meydan, Al Barsha South, Jumeirah Village Triangle, and Production City. It will also integrate with the existing Red and Green Lines of the Dubai Metro.

The Gold Line will have three intersections with the present Red and Green lines and will connect to Business Bay, Al Ghubaiba, and Jumeirah Golf Estates. However, the map shown in the video doesn't indicate any intersection with the under-construction Blue Line, which is expected to be completed by September 9, 2029. Connecting the country's transport network more closely, the new route will link with the UAE’s passenger rail service, Etihad Rail, at two stations.

Fully-underground metro line

The project will use tunnel‑boring technology and will add underground track length equivalent to twice the size of the metro's existing tunnels.

The video displayed that the project will use advanced tunnel-boring technology and will expand the metro's underground infrastructure, adding what is described as twice the length of current metro tunnels.

The city is also planning a high-speed underground transport system, called the Dubai Loop, aimed at slashing commute times through 12-foot-wide tunnels.

The Gold Line is expected to deliver strong long-term economic value, with projections indicating a cumulative return of up to 430 per cent over 20 years of operation.

Why is September 9 significant for Dubai Metro?

Dubai Metro is the backbone of public transport in Dubai. It was on 09.09.2009 at precisely 09.09.09pm that Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum flagged off the Dubai Metro for the first time.

This was a deliberate and symbolic launch moment that tied the metro to precision, ambition, and national identity. Since then, every new metro line has been inaugurated on September 9.

The Dubai Metro Green Line was officially opened on September 9, 2011, with public service beginning on September 10, 2011. It acts as a 23km key route connecting heritage districts of Deira and Bur Dubai via 20 stations, including 8 underground and 12 elevated stations.

The under construction Dubai Metro Blue Line is scheduled to open on September 9, 2029, exactly 20 years after the Red Line's launch, with construction expected to be 30 per cent complete by early 2026. The 30-km line will feature 14 new stations, including 5 underground and 9 elevated, connecting key areas such as Dubai Creek Harbour, Dubai Silicon Oasis, and Academic City to the existing network.

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