DUBAI All dressed up and somewhere to go – that was the agenda for New Dubai residents who hopped on board the much-awaited Tram as it rolled out to the public on Wednesday. Nothing, not least the hype in the run-up to its launch, could quite compare with the first-hand experience. And their verdict as the train glided along: a resounding thumbs-up.
“We wanted to catch the first day, first show of the most happening release in town,” said Dubai Marina resident Bimal Bhatia who set out with his wife Lavina and daughter Enrica to ride the Tram.
Echoing his words were other early birds who were also out to get a feel of the Tram: aviation expert Mazen Chahin for whom it was “like riding a toy I had waited for so long”; realty manager Karen Kassouf who “just wanted to be there on the first day”; video editors Ziad and Ibrahim who “parked our car at Media City and try out the Tram”, among others.
Equally, there were those who were looking at taking the Tram on a regular basis for work or to run errands. Jumeirah Lake Towers (JLT) resident Liliana Bazikiyan, who works with Eton Institute in Knowledge Village, said she would ditch the Metro for the Tram as it would save her a 10-minute walk. Similarly, Sharon Wilhelm, who lives in Dubai Marina, said: “My daughter goes to a school in Knowledge Village and we would drive back and forth several times a day. Now, she will take the tram.”
“It’s super nice – so clean, easy and convenient,” said marketing executive Emily McGuire travelling from JBR from Media City.
If there was one thing that residents lamented about on the first morning, it was the speed of the tram, which hovered between 10 and 40km/h. “It’s a bit slow,” said JLT resident Sheryl.
“They’re probably working out the bugs,” said Wilhelm.
A trip from Jumeirah Beach Residence 2 which started at 9.37am ended at Al Sufouh at 10.16am, taking 39 minutes. As the train covered 10 of the 11 stations, it stopped at JLT for six minutes (9.41 to 9.47am) and Dubai Marina Mall for five minutes (9.49 to 9.54am). Like other vehicles at the traffic signals, the tram too halted, even up to three minutes at times.
“Unlike the Metro’s fixed schedule, the Tram has to factor traffic too,” said one station staff.
However, prominent Tram signage and railings along the tracks ensured there was no conflict with either pedestrians or vehicles plying alongside the trains.
By way of positive feedback, Madeleine of Dubai Marina said: “For some reason, I could not use my Visa card to top up my NOL card at the Mena Seyahi station. They should look into it.”
Some like Advait, a student, wanted to know how ticketless commuters would be monitored on the Tram. “I don’t see an automatic mechanism like Metro where you can board the trains only if you swipe your card at the gate. Probably, there will be manual checks to ensure commuters use the card validators.”
But residents said it is only a matter of time before such teething problems are sorted out. “The Tram is yet another marvel of modern Dubai,” said hotelier R.C. Jacob, “hats off to the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) for achieving yet another milestone.”
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