Dubai Metro anniversary: 15 facts you should know

Dubai Metro is celebrating its 15th anniversary on September 9, marking a significant milestone in its journey of transforming the city’s mass urban transit.

Over the years, the metro has become a vital lifeline connecting key areas across Dubai, providing reliable and sustainable transport for residents and visitors alike. Since opening on September 9, 2009, the metro has grown to keep pace with the city’s rapid urbanization, playing an important role in shaping it into a major global hub for business and tourism, and enhancing its status as a city of the future.

Here are 15 interesting facts about the Dubai Metro

1. Since its launch, as many as 2.4 billion passengers have used the Dubai Metro.
2. Around 730,000 passengers used the Dubai Metro daily.
3. The metro has a punctuality rate of 99.7 percent.
4. Since its establishment, Dubai Metro has facilitated 4.3 million journeys over 26.8 million kilometres.
5. Since its inauguration on September 9, 2009, the metro network has expanded significantly, with the length of lines growing from 52 kilometres to 90 kilometres.
6. The number of stations has increased from 10 to 53.
7. The number of operating trains has risen from 79 to 129.
8. Daily ridership has surged from 20,000 on September 10, 2009, to 767,000 on September 3, 2024.
9. On some days, such as New Year’s Eve and major holidays, the metro has accommodated up to 900,000 riders in a single day.
10. As many as 228 Emiratis are currently employed by the metro’s operating company.
11. The Dubai Metro remains the world’s longest driverless metro project.
12. The trajectory of Dubai Metro ridership has shown continuous growth since launch. From September to the end of December 2009 (four months), the number of riders rose from 6.089 million to 38.089 million in 2010. This number further increased to 69.001 million in 2011. In 2012, there was a significant jump, with passenger numbers reaching 109.049 million. By 2013, the figure climbed to 137.076 million, and in 2014, it rose to 164.031 million. In 2015, the number increased to 178.065 million, and in 2016, it reached 191.033 million. The figure exceeded 200 million, reaching 200.075 million in 2017, and 2018 recorded the highest number of passengers since the project’s launch, with 204.041 million. In 2019, the number of passengers was 202.098 million.
13. Despite the global Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, Dubai Metro transported 113.063 million riders. The number increased to 151.026 million in 2021, and in 2022, the metro set a record with 225.142 million riders. The growth continued in 2023, reaching 260.034 million riders, while from the beginning of this year until the end of August (eight months), the number of riders stood at 175.46 million.
14. On July 8, 2020, the Route 2020 line of the Dubai Metro was launched. Route 2020 spans 15 kilometres (11.8 kilometres above ground and 3.2 kilometres underground). It connects seven stations (one interchange station with the Red Line, a station at the Expo site, three elevated stations, and two underground stations).
15. On November 23, 2023, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, approved the route of the Dubai Metro Blue Line, which will stretch 30 kilometres and connect 14 stations. The line is designed to serve key areas with an expected population of about one million people, according to the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan.

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