Dubai Metro is a fully automated and driverless rapid transit system. It turns 17 today, which if you do the math is September 9th. After all, it was on 09/09/2009/ that Dubai made history when it launched the Dubai Metro. With the launch of the metro came the transformation of how residents moved around the city. For a city which depended heavily on cars for moving around, this system proved its worth.
Dubai Metro Celebrates Anniversary
17 years ago, the first Dubai Metro journeys began, marking the start of a mobility story that transformed the city and brought its communities and visitors closer together.
Today, we celebrate milestones of achievement and look ahead with confidence to a more connected future,…— RTA (@rta_dubai) September 9, 2026
Today, it has become the backbone of the transport system in Dubai. Carrying 294.7 million riders across the Green and Red lines, there has been a 7% increase as compared to 2024. With the demand growing, the Dubai RTA is already working towards adding the Blue Line, which is a 30 km extension to Dubai Metro’s existing line it would be connecting to the Red and Green lines, and it will also be linking major hubs.
We are talking about the Academic City, Dubai Festival City and Silicon Oasis. Not only the Blue line, but the Dubai Metro Gold line has also been proposed. It is expected to be about 40 km long and would be fully underground. The operations are expected to commence on September 9th, 2032.
Glimpse Of Dubai Metro Red & Green Line
Once a bold experiment, today, Dubai Metro has grown into one of the busiest urban rail networks across the world. The Red line was the first one to launch back in 2009. The stations included were Mall of the Emirates, Al Rigg, Union, and Rashidiya, to name some. Today it’s 35 stations, which includes route 2020 branch to Expo City Dubai. After this, the Green line was launched two years later. It has 20 stations, which brings the network of Dubai Metro to 55 stations.
Also Read: Dubai Metro Turns 17! Here Are 16 Facts To Know About The Iconic Transport System
Why Are Dubai Metro Stations Renamed?
When reading about Dubai Metro, one of the most common topics happens to be its changing names. For this, one has to go back to 2008, when the Dubai RTA launched the naming rights initiative, a first in the world and revenue model for public transport. This model allows national and international companies to become partners of the station on the Red and Green lines; some would even go as far as to rename the stations. Hence, the reason why you often see changing names of metro stations on the network of Dubai Metro. However, there are certain rules that brands have to follow that have been established by the RTA when it first launched a scheme. Some of the stations that have been renamed include:
- Al Fahidi changed to Sharaf DG (Green line)
- Sharaf DG/Mashreq changed to InsuranceMarket (Red Line)
- Al Rashidya changed to Centrepoint (Red line)
- Dubai Marina/DAMC Properties changed to Sobha Realty
- Al Jafiliya changed to max (Red line)
- Al Khail changed to Al Fardan Exchange (Red Line)
So with this interesting piece of history about Dubai Metro, one must admit that it’s truly the backbone of the city. After all, it offers connectivity to some of the most renowned areas in the emirate.
Cover Image Courtesy: CanvaPro/Ayrat from Pexels
FAQs
When was Dubai Metro launched?
Dubai Metro was launched on 09/09/2009.
Who was the first passenger of Dubai Metro?
The first passenger of Dubai Metro was His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and the Ruler of Dubai. He bought the first ticket for the public transport system.
