UAE | Traffic and Transport

Dubai's day out on the Metro

The weekend began early Thursday as eager Dubai residents thronged the city's greatly anticipated Metro.

  • Gulf News Report
  • Published: 22:57 September 10, 2009
  • Gulf News

  • Image Credit: Miguel Gomez/Gulf News
  • Commuters of all nationalities ride the Dubai Metro on the first day of the commercial operation of the world's largest driver-less mass transit system.
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Dubai: The weekend began early Thursday as residents thronged the Dubai Metro.

His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, launched the Metro on Wednesday night.

The first train carrying members of the public rolled out of Al Rashidiya station at 6.20am yesterday to applause from onlookers. The train weaved past skyscrapers, shopping malls, lush gardens fringing the highways and over serpentine bridges coiling across the main roads.

Waleed, a graphic designer from Algeria was seen entering the station at 11am. "I'm just trying it out now but hope to use it more often when the rest of the stations open," he said.

Mariam, a Pakistani tour guide, waited for a train on the platform with a Japanese colleague, also a tour guide, planning routes for future journeys with tourists. "This could definitely become part of our tours. The pictures of the city that tourists can take off the metro are far better than those you can take from the double-decker buses we use."

Abdul Majeed Al Khaja, CEO of the Roads and Transport Authority's Rail Agency, said he expects people to go on joy rides for a few weeks, "but eventually they will get used to it and probably get addicted".

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But the Metro did have teething problems on the first day the operation was opened to the public. At 9.55am one of the trains broke down at Nakheel Harbour and Tower station and passengers had to wait until 11.55am before the next train came.

The breakdown led to a delay at most stations. "There was one train with a mechanical fault, luckily the fault was discovered at the station, so all the people had to disembark and take another train," said a Rolling Stock Technician at Serco.

By late evening, many more residents flocked to the Mall of the Emirates station, forcing Metro authorities to close the gates intermittently to deal with the growing crowd.

Meanwhile the RTA has announced that all categories of Nol Cards will be rolled out within the next nine months. Monthly passes ranging from Dh100, Dh180 to Dh270 depending on the zone, will be introduced for unlimited travel, said Mohammad Abdullah Ramadan, Director of Metro Operations at the RTA's Rail Agency.

Have you ridden on the Metro? Will it become a regular mode of transport for you?

Your comments


Yes, I rode the metro , and was truly impressed with the cutting edge technology and state ofthe art facility. It is truly a great achivement. I will use it regularly
Akshay
Dubai,UAE
Posted: September 11, 2009, 16:18

Yes!! its really a great pleasure to everybody, but same time RTA introduce new traveling card for Buses also, and they increase buss fare, I would like to convey my message to Shaikh Mohammad, to reduce the Buss Fare if he can for people.
Mohammad Nazim
Dubai,UAE
Posted: September 11, 2009, 16:02

me and my family enjoyed the ride yesterday frm rashidiya to burjuman.it was awesome.congrats RTA
Shaji.S
dubai,UAE
Posted: September 11, 2009, 15:33

Yes. I tried it yesterday. It was a smooth ride, i just wish that all the stations will be opened soon. I wanted it to be my regular mode of transport, but since i live in Sharjah, it's impossible. I hope that the Sharjah government will do the same as Dubai did for their people.
Karl De Guzman
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: September 11, 2009, 15:06

Perhaps, there might be few shortcomings in metro. but i thoroughly enjoyed it. over a period of few days everything will be fine. hats off dubai for wonderful metro. not forgetting mr matter al tayer. his efforts to meet the deadline.
Praveen Sequeira
Dubai,UAE
Posted: September 11, 2009, 14:44

I took a train from burjman station (Khalid bin Waleed) to Rashidiya and back. I took the Gold ticket for me and my family and by GOD it was one of the worst experiences of my life. People were jammed into the cart and were fighting for a seat. Some people were shouted at each other and were pushing people out of the doors once the train stopped at a station. We wanted to get off at our station but no one gave us way to go out. Then i saw these guys who were putting their hands in between the doors to open them up .... horrible ... hope things would get better
JD
Dubai,UAE
Posted: September 11, 2009, 13:38

This achievement brought back to everybody living in UAE the happiness Who dont like the metro? And dont like to see the smiles on all the faces?
Abdul Rahman Al Tahhan
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: September 11, 2009, 13:37

yeah i tried it on the very first day itself and it feels very nice and time saving, more than that a real entertainer.
Sulfikar Abdul Rehuman
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: September 11, 2009, 13:26

I travelled on 10 September @ 10.45 PM from rigga road station to emirates mall there were few initial problems specially management coudnt expect the crowd flow on weekend and hence there was enormous crowd it was almost stempede inside train and was overloaded resulting in delays at almost all station, over all it was cheers and all the best to DUBAI METRO
Rakesh Srivastava
Dubai,UAE
Posted: September 11, 2009, 12:43

Shocked to see the amount of people on board one train I hope the RTA are going to be monitoring the capacity more stringently for safety reasons.
Wesley
Dubai,UAE
Posted: September 11, 2009, 12:43

My son had requested me to take him for a ride on the first train almost a month before, Which i full filled him yesterday, we boarded from burjuman station to rashidiya and returned. it was a great experience and RTA has done a wonderful job.
Nazim
Dubai,UAE
Posted: September 11, 2009, 11:56

Everyday while going to school i used to think when it will come to ride on My Metro and yesterday long awaited dream came true when me and my friends enjoyed the first ride.It was great and amazing experience.Job well done.
Asad khattak
Dubai,UAE
Posted: September 11, 2009, 11:51

I was one of the hundreds who tried the metro yesterday evening and it was full of passengers from all walks of life. I thought the metro was until 12mn only, but looking at the waiting passenegers at MOE last night I think RTA has to extend. Congratulations RTA-Dubai!
Hubert Geb Balaba
Dubai,UAE
Posted: September 11, 2009, 11:44

Dubai Metro is in a full bloom with a slice of excitment in the city. Great job Dubai! The metro promises to bring relief for commuters who want to go from one place to another at low cost and high speed. Goodbye to traffic congestion and welcome to the overhead revolution. I as a fourteen-year-old am glad that I was in Dubai as it lauched its metro and I am looking forward to travelling in it.
Amina Kausar Bintory
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: September 11, 2009, 11:20

I used it yesterday and found that there should be a lot of improvements in Metro. Firstly there was no AC at Emirates metro station, then when got the metro I found out that its too small to deal with such a huge crowd and finally at Mall of Emirates there was thousands of people waiting to ride on the metro and authorites closed the doors going to the metro so at the end there was a huge que for Cabs!
Ali
Dubai,UAE
Posted: September 11, 2009, 11:00

The trip from Rashidiya to MOE was very smooth and fast but after having dinner in MOE coming back was a nightmare. It took almost 2 hours from MOE to Rashidiya and it only takes around 30 minutes on train so you can guess where we waited for the other hour and a half. I will try it again but hopefully once they get it right. If they cannot deal with that big rush how can they expect people to put down there car keys and welcome it.
James
Dubai,UAE
Posted: September 11, 2009, 10:30

Timings and the frequnce not mentioned in media.If available i want to use from Rigga station.
Barbara
Johanesberg,South Africa
Posted: September 11, 2009, 10:29

When I was in Dubai just 2, 3 years ago, the metro plan was launched and now today, the auspicious moment is going on. I am watching the dubai websites that contented the inaugural functions with mouth watering. I do not know when I will come to dubai and travel in the metro system and breath UAE air?
S. Renganathan
Nagercoil,India
Posted: September 11, 2009, 09:32

Very first thing i congratulate al the UAE Top authorities for this success of their long waiting achivement and i also congratulate to all the UAE that they got such wonderful first time ever automechanical Duabi Metro in their country. It is proud and great honour for them. Yes, yesterday i had twice travelled in metro. From MOE to Al Rashidiya and returned til Khalid Bin Walid street sation that is in evening and again from Khalid BIn walid street starion to Al Rashidiya and Return. NO doubt the travell was amazing. The train, the way , stations everything is awsome. simply grate. All your grief becoze of the Dubai metro work mealt in water once you travell in that and saw what wonderfull work they did. Its realy really beatutiful. Second most important thing which i notice is that you can see all aspect of Dubai on this rouite like Their Style of Houses in Rashidiya, Airport, Gardens, Famous commercial buildings and Malls and Road and traffic and lights. I really really enjoyed the travell and feel that i saw Dubai in a very new
Sanjay Revandikar
Dubai,UAE
Posted: September 11, 2009, 09:23

I WILL VERY HAPPY METRO IN WORLD NO 1 DUBAI METRO DUBAI IS THE BEST IN WORLD TOURS WILL BE COME AGAIN UAE
Noor Islam
Dubai,UAE
Posted: September 11, 2009, 09:10

Why does it start so late on Fridays? While I respect that it is a holy day, what about the large numbers of people who do work on that day or want to travel on their day off? Most world-leading Metros run 7 days a week from pre-dawn to after midnight!
Mike
Durban,SA
Posted: September 11, 2009, 09:00

Yes, I took the metro yesterday, as a joyride. It was fantastic and yes, I plan to make it part of my daily life and do away with the car.
Abraham Mathew
Dubai,UAE
Posted: September 11, 2009, 08:52

I like metro in uae. Dubai metro my dreem realy happen i so much thanks shaikh his hinest sh.mohammad bin rashid. Dubai citizen very happy. Gnd bless him.
Mazhar Hussain Bohra
Ras Al Khaimah,UAE
Posted: September 11, 2009, 08:28

I have been planning to go back to my home country, but seeing this Dubai Metro the life will be more easier to us as well. Riding the bus is difficult task here, texi all the time is too expensive.
Mahendra
Dubai,UAE
Posted: September 11, 2009, 07:36

Yes it was an awsome ride, Gift of Ramadan, Thanks to Sheik Mohammed and the Team worked behind this Metro Project.
Mohammad Asif
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: September 11, 2009, 06:42

to be frank, it is a great effort that which the RTA made and still and will be making...thank u RTA...many many many thanks to all the workers in the great metro.
From A Reader
Dubai,UAE
Posted: September 11, 2009, 06:31

yes, i will truly use the metro as my daily mode of transportation from my accommodation to my office in Garhoud. It will save my time and money of course, given the fact that it's a bit inexpensive than to ride a taxi or have a lift. Its even more convenient and yet affordable!
Anwar
Dubai,UAE
Posted: September 11, 2009, 04:43

Dubai have dont it !!!! The metro reflects the vision of the leader as well as proved that there is nothing impossible in this part of the world. They proved the world that they are always one step ahead and particularly eco-friendly... Congratulations to the leader and RTA....... Proud to be an expatriate in Dubai..
Ram
Dubai,UAE
Posted: September 11, 2009, 04:41

I heard that Dubai will launch the metro when I was in Dubai during 2006,7. I'm so happy to hear the news that the metro finally launched. Congratulation :)
Melanie Lee
Seoul,South Korea
Posted: September 11, 2009, 04:13

While using Dubai Metro, i wish to find praying facility inside the metro stations as well, it would be more convenient if prayer rooms are available in the metro stations.
Mohammad Eid
Dubai,UAE
Posted: September 11, 2009, 03:33

If purpose of the metro is to reduce congesion, then it would do well to plan an extension towards Sharjah, since that's where most of the traffic originate towards Dubai
Manav Madhu
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: September 11, 2009, 02:26

I had the pleasure of riding the Metro on its opening day and was most impressed with every aspect of it. The stations are magnificent, the trains are bright, comfortable and fast and the journey is super smooth! Well done to all at the RTA and to the labourers who built this magnificent feat of engineering in our wonderful city.
Daniel Baker
Dubai,UAE
Posted: September 11, 2009, 01:47

I wholeheartedly congragulate Dubai Government on this mega project, i have no words to express my feelings, honestly!
Danish Sami
Dubai,UAE
Posted: September 11, 2009, 01:16

No,but tomorrow I will start and it will be my regular transport rather than driving my own car ,since the station is very close to my house ,work place and connected to major malls.Well Done RTA Shaik Mohammed is really a visionary. Regards,
Ann Abastillas
Dubai,UAE
Posted: September 11, 2009, 00:39

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