His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has officially laid the foundation stone for the Dubai Metro Blue Line, marking a major leap forward in the emirate’s transportation infrastructure.
Spanning 30 kilometres with 14 new stations, the Blue Line is set to connect nine key districts and serve over one million residents by 2040.
Expanding Dubai’s Rail Network
The Blue Line will link the existing Green and Red Lines through interchange stations at Al Jaddaf, Al Rashidiya, and International City 1. It will stretch from Creek Station to Centrepoint Station, covering strategic areas including Mirdif, Al Warqa, Dubai Silicon Oasis, and Academic City. The project also features the first-ever metro viaduct crossing Dubai Creek and the largest underground interchange station in the network.
Once complete, Dubai’s rail system will extend to 131 kilometres, with 78 stations and 168 trains, cementing the metro’s role as the backbone of the city’s mass transit system.
A Record-Breaking Iconic Station
Among the Blue Line’s standout features is the Emaar Properties Station in Dubai Creek Harbour. Designed by global architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the 74-metre-tall structure will be the world’s highest metro station. Covering 11,000 square metres, it will accommodate up to 160,000 passengers daily and is expected to see 70,000 daily users by 2040.
The station’s design merges luxury and function, featuring materials like Jura limestone, bronze panels, and granite flooring. Natural light, elegant spatial design, and sustainable architecture embody Dubai’s vision of future-ready infrastructure.
Driving Sustainability and Economic Growth
The Blue Line supports the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan and the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, reinforcing goals such as reduced traffic congestion, increased land value near stations, and enhanced public mobility. According to RTA projections, the line will generate over AED 56.5 billion in total economic, environmental, and social benefits by 2040, with a benefit-cost ratio of 2.60.
It will also help reduce traffic congestion by 20% in areas it serves and support Dubai’s "20-minute city" vision, ensuring that essential services are within a short commute for residents.
Boosting Connectivity for One Million Residents
The Blue Line is designed to serve rapidly growing communities and economic hubs. It will provide direct metro access to Dubai International Airport and nine major areas, including Dubai Festival City, International City, and Academic City—which is projected to accommodate over 50,000 university students by 2029.
The project also ensures seamless multimodal connectivity with dedicated bus bays, bike and e-scooter parking, and facilities for people of determination.
A New Era in Public Transport
Since its inauguration in 2009, the Dubai Metro has transported over 2.5 billion passengers and currently averages 900,000 daily riders. With the addition of the Blue Line, the network’s capacity will exceed 850,000 passengers per day. Daily ridership on the Blue Line alone is expected to hit 200,000 by 2030 and 320,000 by 2040.
The Blue Line is the fifth strategic addition to Dubai’s transit system, following the Red and Green Lines, the Dubai Tram, and Route 2020. It represents a critical step toward making Dubai the world’s best city to live in—an ambition firmly rooted in sustainable development and smart urban planning.
News Source: Dubai Media Office
