Dubai records 395 million journeys on public transport in first half of 2025

The number of trips made on public transport has increased by nine per cent year on year

More than a third of public transport journeys are made on Dubai Metro. Chris Whiteoak / The National

More than 395 million journeys were made on Dubai's expanding public transport network in the first half of 2025, a 9 per cent increase on the same period last year.

The sharp rise comes as authorities invest heavily in public transport services to help keep pace with a sustained population boom, cut congestion and drive down emissions in support of key environmental goals.

Dubai's population stood at 3.98 million on Sunday, according to the Dubai Statistics Centre's live population counter, up from 3.77 million on the same date last year.

The latest public transport figures were shared on Sunday by Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority. They show about 3.95 million trips were made on public transport in the first six months of 2025, compared to 361.2 million in the corresponding period of last year.

About 2.18 million journeys were made on average each day, up from 1.98 million daily trips in the first half of last year.

“The continued growth in public transport ridership reflects users’ confidence in the system’s efficiency and the quality of services provided across all modes,” said Mattar Al Tayer, director general of the Roads and Transport Authority.

“We remain committed to delivering safe, comfortable, and sustainable mobility solutions for every segment of society.”

Public transport growth in numbers

The Dubai Metro has maintained its position as the most popular mode of public transport for passengers in the emirate.

The RTA said 143.9 million trips were made via Dubai Metro from January to the end of June, representing 36.5 per cent of all trips completed on public transport.

A further 103.5 million rides were conducted through taxi – 26 per cent of all journeys – with 95.7 million journeys made on public buses.

There were also 37.6 million shared mobility journeys – such as app-based vehicle services, hourly rentals and on-demand buses – as well as 9.7 million trips on marine transport and 4.9 million rides on the Dubai Tram.

Dubai Metro expansion

The surge in Dubai Metro passenger numbers comes as a major expansion of a rail network established in 2009 rapidly takes shape.

The Blue Line is scheduled to open in September 2029, marking the 20th anniversary of the launch of Dubai Metro.

The Dh20.5 billion project will include 14 new stations, connect with the existing Green and Red lines, and serve expanding neighbourhoods such as Mirdif, Dubai Silicon Oasis, Dubai Creek Harbour and Dubai International City.

Meanwhile, Dubai is also continuing to invest in its fleet of buses under a concerted push to encourage people to leave their cars at home and commute by public transport to tackle traffic congestion.

The RTA announced last week that 22 public bus sites, including 16 passenger stations and six depots, have been upgraded.

Nine stations in Deira were revamped, alongside seven in Bur Dubai. These stations support 110 routes and handle up to 710 buses during peak hours. Renovations were made to waiting areas, facades and pavements, and new prayer areas were added.

The RTA is looking to invest in its bus fleet to meet European low-emission standards, which would be a first for the Middle East and North Africa region.

The authority recently signed a contract to add 637 new buses between 2025 and 2026, including 40 fully electric, zero-emission buses from Zhongtong, custom-built for the Gulf region.

Dubai also recently signed a preliminary agreement with Pony.ai, a Chinese autonomous driving company, to start pilot trials of driverless vehicles in the emirate by the end of the year.

The partnership aims to pave the way for the full commercial roll-out of autonomous taxis by 2026, in line with Dubai's goal to convert 25 per cent of all trips to self-driving transport modes by 2030.