Dubai Metro extension aims to serve travellers beyond Expo 2020

DUBAI // Designed to resemble a plane in flight, expansive, five-star stations and trains with larger capacity are being mapped out to handle the crowds expected to flock to Expo 2020.

By taking the new Route 2020 through existing residential and business communities, transport authorities aim to target travellers beyond the six-month long world fair.

Planners followed the directives of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, the Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, that the stations should be of the highest quality and world class standard, said Matter Al Tayer, director general of the Roads and Transport Authority.

“We will have five-star stations and shopping centres in the new route,” he said.

The interior design of 50 trains to be purchased as part of the project will be altered to accommodate more than the current 640 passengers per train.

There could be a change in access to the VIP or gold class coach so passengers do not pass through the women and children’s section.

“We have also learnt lessons (from the metro) and will change the capacity of stations with changes in exits and entrances,” Mr Al Tayer said.

“We have 600,000 travellers every day, we expected to arrive at this number in 2-3 years. The numbers are amazing and this made us move forward to request more wagons and trains due to more usage.”

To add to the existing 79 trains, French rail transport company Alstom will supply 15 for the Expo service and 35 for the regular metro.

The RTA has talked to developers of the Jumeirah Golf Estates to modify the development’s layout.

“The way we have selected the route, we have made sure it will go through developed areas to capture as much of the resident population in ridership,” said Abdul Ibrahim Younes, chief executive of the RTA’s Rail Agency.

“Some areas are already developed, such as Gardens and Discovery Gardens. We have coordinated with the developer of Jumeirah Golf Estates and they have modified their masterplan to accommodate the new station to get as much as possible out of the metro.”

A new station will be built near the existing Red Line at the interchange of Nakheel Harbour.

There could be disruptions during construction to begin at the year-end between the Nakheel Harbour interchange and UAE Exchange stations.

“This is the part that could be affected when construction begins,” Mr Younes said.

“Alternative services will be provided like buses to reduce the impact.”

Plans will later be drawn up for express trains to directly take visitors to the expo site.

“There could be a possibility of an express train like we now have the early morning metro express services from Rashidiya to Jelbel Ali that stops only at 10 stations. We will coordinate with the expo team and it will depend on their requirement whether trains stop at each station or go direct.”

Studies are also looking at cable cars, autonomous vehicles, trolleys or small buses within the sprawling expo site covering 438 hectares that includes a 200ha gated area.