Dubai is laying the foundations for the first phase of a high-speed underground transport network aimed at cutting congestion in the city.
Construction work on the Dubai Loop – led by the government in partnership with Elon Musk’s Boring Company – is gathering pace to pave the way for its launch within two years.
The Boring Company shared a picture on social media on Friday showing a team of its workers in front of a stack of concrete building material, with Burj Khalifa serving as a striking backdrop.
The tunnelling company emphasised the vast scale of the work involved in the project. It said 25,000 pieces of precast concrete are to be used in the initial stage of the Dubai Loop – reaching a total weight of 45,000 tonnes.
Going underground to beat traffic
Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority said in February that the first phase of underground project would cost Dh565 million ($153.8 million) and connect DIFC with Dubai Mall as using autonomous Tesla cars. The first four stations are to be in Burj Khalifa, DIFC 2, Zabeel Dubai Mall Parking and ICD Brookfield Place.
The network will eventually cover 22km and comprise 19 stations. The estimated final cost is about Dh2 billion.
Once operational, Dubai Loop aims to reduce travel times from DIFC to Dubai Mall from 20 minutes to only three minutes, tackling congestion on the roads.
Fleets of bookable electric vehicles will ferry passengers through tunnels measuring 3.6 metres in diameter. They are expected to carry more than 13,000 a day in the first phase, with that number rising to 30,000 when the full route is in use.
The Dubai Loop is part of a broader public transport drive across the emirate to go deeper underground to ease traffic and ensure the population growth is sustainable.
In April, Dubai unveiled plans for a Dh34 billion Metro Gold Line to serve more than 1.5 million residents. The Metro expansion will feature 18 stations and pass through 15 areas of the city to connect dozens of real estate developments under construction, as well as Etihad Rail passenger services.
The underground 42km route will increase the length of the vast network by 35 per cent and is due to open on September 9, 2032 – 23 years to the day since the launch of Dubai Metro.
Dubai previously announced the Blue Line was set to launch in September 2029, marking the 20th anniversary of the Metro network.
The Dh20.5 billion Blue Line project will include 14 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.
Expanding transport network
The major Metro expansion and the Dubai Loop are part of urban transport projects that will enable the emirate to benefit from the landmark Etihad Rail passenger line. The long-awaited network was launched on Tuesday, with thousands of passengers boarding trains on the inaugural Abu Dhabi-Fujairah route.
Dubai’s Etihad Rail Station at Jumeirah Golf Estates is to open on September 30, along with Al Dhaid station in Sharjah. Five stations in Al Dhafra will welcome passengers on December 30, with Sharjah’s University City station to begin operations on March 30 next year.
Passenger numbers across the network are expected to reach 36 million by 2030.