Dubai Loop project advances as tunnelling work moves ahead

Dubai: Dubai Loop is moving into its next stage, with preliminary work and project delivery advancing since an agreement was signed in February, as several technical and engineering workstreams progress in parallel.

Work currently includes the assembly of the tunnel boring machine and the casting of concrete segments that will line the tunnels, marking progress on one of Dubai’s major future mobility projects, according to a recent Dubai Media Office statement.

The latest development comes as Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, met with Steve Davis, president of US-based The Boring Company, owned by trillionaire Elon Musk, to review cooperation and the latest progress on the passenger transport tunnel project.

The meeting, held at Sheikh Hamdan’s office in Dubai on September 29, also included senior officials from Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and The Boring Company.

The discussions focused on areas of cooperation and the latest progress on Dubai Loop, which will use underground tunnels and electric vehicles to transport passengers.

The project is intended to provide flexible urban mobility and first- and last-mile connections, while improving links between key destinations and supporting Dubai’s plans for technology-driven and sustainable transport.

The Government of Dubai Media Office said the project will use advanced technologies to enhance the efficiency and flow of movement in high-density urban areas.

The first phase of Dubai Loop will be a 4-mile (6.4km) pilot route with four stations, linking Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and Dubai Mall.

The pilot is intended to provide the basis for expansion into the wider planned alignment.

The full project alignment is expected to extend up to 14 miles (22.5km), with 19 stations connecting the Dubai World Trade Centre and the financial district with Business Bay.

The tunnels will have a diameter of 12 feet (3.6 metres) and will be designed specifically for vehicle transport.

According to the project agreement, the tunnelling technology is intended to enable faster construction, lower costs and less disruption to existing roads and utilities than conventional transport systems.

The pilot route is expected to carry around 13,000 passengers a day, according to Mattar Al Tayer, director general and chairman of the board of executive directors of RTA.

The full route is projected to have capacity for approximately 30,000 passengers a day, Al Tayer had said in February this year.

Al Tayer said the project would add to Dubai’s transport network by integrating different modes of mobility and providing first- and last-mile solutions.

“The project represents a qualitative addition to Dubai’s transport ecosystem, as it enhances integration between different mobility modes and provides flexible and efficient first- and last-mile solutions,” Al Tayer said.

He added that studies had demonstrated the project’s efficiency in terms of capacity and operating costs.

The first phase has an estimated cost of approximately $154 million, with delivery expected to take about one year after design work and the necessary preparations are completed.

The full route is estimated to cost about $545 million and is expected to take around three years to implement.

The project is being developed through a partnership between RTA and The Boring Company, the US tunnelling and infrastructure company founded by Elon Musk.

Steve Davis, president of The Boring Company, said the company was looking to deliver tunnelling solutions that were “advanced, safe, and highly efficient”.

“We are proud to partner with the Roads and Transport Authority, one of the world’s leading entities in adopting innovative solutions in the transport sector,” Davis said.

The Boring Company and RTA are expected to finalise the design while mobilisation activities begin.

The company will also seek about 48 permits and No Objection Certificates from around 10 entities, with the stated goal of beginning tunnelling in the second half of 2026.

The first phase is expected to use about 25,000 precast concrete tunnel segments. Each segment weighs approximately 4,000 pounds, according to the project information.

The assembly of the tunnel boring machine and casting of these concrete lining segments are among the technical workstreams now progressing in Dubai. The Loop project has been in development since 2025, when RTA and The Boring Company signed an agreement to study its potential implementation in Dubai.