Rapidly evolving urban transport networks across the UAE promise to make the expanding Dubai World Central the most connected airport in the world.
New connections by road, rail and air will offer more options for passengers flying in and out of Dubai, as the UAE looks to re-establish itself as a prime tourist destination.
Despite two months of disruption due to the war in Iran and strikes on UAE airports, plans to transform DWC into one of the world’s busiest transport hubs are unaffected.
A new passenger terminal with an eventual capacity to service 260 million travellers a year has been signed off, with construction costs expected to reach Dh128 billion ($34.8 billion).
But it is the rapidly developing ground infrastructure and transport links that promise to transform the experience of travelling through Dubai.
'Far and away the most advanced'
Dubai airports chief executive, Paul Griffiths, told The National the conflict had caused no delays in the long-term strategic plans for DWC, also known as Al Maktoum International.
“Our approach to DWC phase two is to have the latest technology and the best design, because we are determined to create an airport experience like none other,” he said.
“It will be far and away the most advanced, and the most friendly and convenient for our customers. An airport's major role in life is to provide a very effective, efficient interface between journeys on the ground and in the air.
“That relies on road and rail in particular to be very well connected to DWC. At the moment there's very limited connectivity [but] Etihad Rail will now come very close to DWC phase 2, and we will have a dedicated station box adjacent to the airport, so you'll be able to step off Etihad Rail effortlessly into the new airport,” Mr Griffiths added.
“Secondly, we've had the announcement of the airport express, which will link the major population centres of Dubai with a very efficient rail journey to DWC phase two – that will be very welcome.”
Connectivity
The Dubai Metro Gold Line will also offer a vital connection to DWC. The Dh34 billion project will serve more than 1.5 million residents, in what is the largest transport project in the emirate's history.
The 42km underground track will connect 15 strategic communities, extending the network by 35 per cent.
It is due to open on September 9, 2032, in tandem with the first phase of DWC.
Air taxis are expected to be more widely used by the scheduled opening of the DWC expansion, connecting key business and tourism areas of Dubai with the airport.
“There are lots of developments on surface transport to make the efficiency of the airport and its connections with the city among the best in the world,” Mr Griffiths said.
“As the first vertiport to be connected to a major international hub, I'm confident this will be an innovative, convenient way of linking destinations across the city. It will be yet another way of getting to the airport seamlessly and efficiently.”
While Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest for passenger traffic, benefited being embedded within the existing urban fabric of the city and Dubai Metro connections, DWC is different.
Located within a much larger airport-city and logistics landscape of Dubai South, effective access cannot rely purely on cars, taxis and buses.
Reliance on alternative transport will become even more critical as the airport is expected to operate at a much larger scale in the future, experts said.
According to public transport expert Dr Simona Azzali, an associate professor at Canadian University Dubai's school of architecture and interior design, new airport rail links would boost connectivity significantly.
“As DWC is close to Jebel Ali port and the Dubai South logistics hub, the opportunity is not just passenger mobility, but also cargo efficiency, supply chains and air-sea-rail integration,” she said.
“A potential Etihad Rail connection to DWC would be very significant. It is not simply about adding another transport option to an airport, but about preparing the mobility infrastructure for Dubai’s future main aviation hub.
“The announced long-term transfer of operations from Dubai International Airport to Al Maktoum International makes the rail question much more strategic.
“If DWC is expected to progressively absorb the role currently played by DXB, then rail connectivity becomes essential infrastructure.”
National rail links
Early plans for the new terminal proposed for DWC feature an underground train linking the vast airport’s eight concourses.
The model of connecting a major airport with national rail infrastructure is familiar elsewhere. In Europe, Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport and Frankfurt International in Germany each have passenger rail terminals embedded into the infrastructure.
Zurich, Paris Charles de Gaulle, London Gatwick, Vienna and Stockholm also benefit from effective national rail links, while Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport will be connected to Etihad Rail once the network is complete.
“For DWC, the more interesting comparison is with major logistics hubs, such as Hong Kong or Incheon in Seoul, where the airport is not only a passenger gateway but part of a broader cargo and logistics system,” said Dr Azzali.
“Etihad Rail could extend the catchment area of DWC beyond Dubai. It could make the airport more accessible from Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and other emirates, while rail could support both airport operations and the wider development of Dubai South as a more complete urban district.
“Another question is not simply whether there is a rail station but how seamless the interchange will be,” Dr Azzali added. “The airport’s impact will depend on frequency, travel time, proximity to the terminal, integration with RTA [Roads and Transport Authority] systems, feeder buses and pedestrian access.”
