Dubai Metro integral to TIME strategic expansion

Dubai Metro integral to TIME strategic expansion 

Research for TIME hotels indicates 234 hotels and apartments are already within two kilometres of one of 47 Dubai metro stations; hotel apartments close to Dubai Metro and shopping malls top GCC visitor wish list        

Market research conducted on behalf of TIME Hotels has revealed that 234 hotels and hotel-apartments are located within two kilometres of one of Dubai’s 47 metro stations.

The UAE-headquartered hotel group wanted to calculate the number of hotel properties located close to metro stations and analyse the impact on GCC visitor booking decisions, whether choosing to stay for business or leisure.  

“The research discovered that out of around 530 hotels and apartments listed with international reservation websites such as booking.com, at least 234 - or 44% - were situated within two kilometres of a metro station,” said Mohamed Awadalla, CEO, TIME Hotels.  

“Accessibility to the metro network is giving hotels an opportunity to drive occupancy rates as location remains a top priority for guests. Western guests are familiar with public transport and also appreciate its efficiency and sustainability, while for other nationalities it is a cost-effective alternative to taking taxis. GCC nationals also like the novelty value, coming from a region where rail travel is still at an embryonic stage,” added Awadalla.

Official figures released by the Dubai Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) recorded total passenger traffic of 138 million people on the Dubai Metro in 2013, almost double that of 2011. The Dubai Metro network currently covers two lines (Red and Green) with a total of 47 operational stations, including direct access to Dubai International Airport.

Plans to extend the existing network ahead of Dubai’s hosting of Expo 2020 are also under development by the RTA, with a phased expansion programme including a doubling of the length of the Green Line and extension of the Red Line at both the Rashidiya end and at Jebel Ali, where it will be linked to the new Expo 2020 site. Senior officials at the RTA expect to add an additional 36 kilometres of track with a further 21 new stations taking the total number of stations across the network to 70 by 2020.

Abu Dhabi has also announced that it will spend AED11 billion on a 131 kilometre-long metro system, which will eventually be linked to Dubai, opening up more leisure options between the two emirates. 

“Having long recognised the urban tourism potential, we are now actively promoting our locations in relation to their accessibility to Dubai Metro stations, as business and leisure visitors look for convenient locations within easy reach of major commercial, retail and entertainment centres,” noted Awadalla.

“The TIME Oak Hotel & Suites in Tecom, for example, is only a five-minute walk from the Dubai Internet City Metro Station. The hotel has noticed that more and more potential leisure guests are asking about the hotel’s proximity to the metro,” he added.

As TIME continues with its programme of regional expansion both in the UAE and further afield into Qatar and Saudi Arabia, Awadalla and the development team are also taking into consideration the emerging transportation networks in other destinations as part of the strategic planning process.

To encourage guests to experience the city for longer and make the most of its excellent transportation links, TIME is running a special summer rate campaign until the end of September, with a ‘stay for three and pay for two’ or ‘stay for five and pay for three’ nights offer at it six properties.

Photo caption: The TIME Oak Hotel & Suites in Tecom is only a five-minute walk from the Dubai Internet City Metro Station. The hotel has noticed that more and more potential leisure guests are asking about the hotel’s proximity to the metro.

For more information, visit www.timehotels.com

About TI’ME Hotels Management:

TI’ME Hotels Management is well capitalised with significant management expertise and has ambitions to evolve into one of the leading hospitality businesses in the UAE.

TIME currently manage the following properties:

• TI’ME Oak Hotel & Suites in Al Barsha, Dubai
• TI’ME Grand Plaza Hotel in Al Qusais, Dubai
• TI’ME Opal Hotel Apartments, Dubai
• TI’ME Crystal Hotel Apartments, Dubai
• TI’ME Topaz Hotel Apartments, Dubai
• TI’ME Ruby Hotel Apartments, Sharjah
• TI’ME Pearl Residences, Abu Dhabi

Al Jadaf, Creek metro stations to open next Saturday

Al Jadaf, Creek metro stations to open next Saturday

Roads & Transport Authority – Mohammed Al Munji:

The Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) will open on the Saturday March 1^st Al Jadaf and Creek stations; the terminal two stations on the Green Line of the Dubai Metro. By operating these two final stations, the RTA will be completing the operation of all the Dubai Metro stations.

H.E. Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the RTA, said: “Al Jadaf and Creek stations; which are located at the end of the Green Line track, serve existing projects and others under construction such as the Culture Village and Sama Al Jadaf, and they will also serve the Dubai Festival City through operating a marine transit service linking with the Creek Station. Al Wasl Club will also be linked with Al Jadaf Station through a bus route to be operated when matches are held. The RTA has provided 100 parking slots at Al Jadaf Station, besides providing a bus route to serve passengers of the two stations.

“Operating these two stations will contribute significantly to expediting the development tempo in the neighbourhood, and accordingly the ridership will pick up gradually as per the foreseeable inputs. The daily ridership of Al Jadaf Station is forecasted as 2100 riders per day, whereas the Creek Station is expected to be used by about 1400 riders every day. However, these numbers are poised to double up exponentially with the opening of property development projects, some of which are nearing completion,” added Al Tayer.

“Through the Dubai Metro operator Serco Co., the RTA has completed all arrangements related to the operation of the two stations by carrying out technical test runs of the metro including testing the communication systems, automatic operation systems, power feed system, and the air-conditioning system among others. It has also finalized the appointment of 16 employees to man the two metro stations and they have already been deployed at site after undergoing intense training exposures on delivering customers service, implementing regulations drawn up by the RTA to protect the facilities, and enforcing the rules against offenders,” said the Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the RTA in a final remark.

Coordination has also been made with the Transport Security Dep’t to deploy security personnel at the two stations to ensure the security and safety of the metro riders. Moreover, teams of Emergency Services (Civil Defence, Ambulance and Rescue) made field visits to the two stations to know more about them and the surroundings.

It is worth-mentioning that Al Jadaf and Creek stations are amongst the elevated metro stations where the concourse and platform are on the upper level of the elevated metro track. Each station extends 132 meters in length and 29 meters in width, and has a capacity to handle 11,000 passengers per hour per direction. The two stations are fitted with escalators as well as lifts.

Caption:

-      Mattar Al Tayer

-      The stations are ready for receiving passengers

(Energy) Station on the Red Line of Dubai Metro Starts this Month

(Energy) Station on the Red Line of Dubai Metro Starts this Month

Roads and Transport Authority - Majdi Abu Zaid:

Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced its plan to operate a new metro station under the name (Energy) on the red line of Dubai Metro which will start from Jebel Ali and ends in Al Rashidiya area, the station will use Dubal and the surrounding areas.
Mr. Mohammed Yousef Al Mudharreb, director of Rail Operation at RTA’s Rail Agency said: Energy Station located on the red line will start on the 30th of the current month of September with the expected number of passengers benefiting from using the station will be more than 2500 on a daily basis, and the prospects of acquiring additional income for the Authority by renting retail stores, ATM locations, and by selling rights of the station’s name, as well as the opening of the station will contribute to the improvement of services provided to the customers.

He added: A plan has been set which guarantees the provision of bus services from and to the Station and its surrounding areas, which will contribute in encouraging the public to use the Station according to their needs and demands and urge them to use mass transportation, stressing that the stations that have been established for the Dubai Metro service were designed in accordance with the highest international standards in line with the project, which is considered one of the most distinctive marks in Dubai's civilized march on its land, and the Metro, since its inception on 9/9/2009, proved its status for the Emirate’s residents and visitors as an effective means of mass transit system, which Dubai allocates greatest attention to be on the high level of quality, as well as the Metro stations have granted companies the opportunity to market and interact with dealers.

Al Mathrab said: The operating of the Energy Station will be a new addition for the Metro project that will cover the needs of the public in Dubal and the surrounding areas,
He added: There are changes that will take place in terms of the Dubai Metro’s schedule to cope with the expected increase in the number of passengers in the coming period of time, the schedule of the red line will be changed where the peak hour will start at 6:30am instead of 7:00 am during the days of the week. In the addition the tabulator headway times will be adjusted on Saturdays in the peak morning and evening hours to 6 minutes, while on Fridays, the tabulator headway times will be adjusted to 6 minutes from 5:00pm to 10:00pm.

While concerning the Green Line, the train’s schedule of the peak hours will be adjusted from 07:00 am to 09:30 am, with tabulator headway of 6 minutes, from 05:30 pm to 07:00 pm, in 6-minute tabulator headway as well.

Dubai Metro Transports 33.3 Million Commuters in the First Quarter of 2013

Dubai Metro Transports 33.3 Million Commuters in the First Quarter of 2013

Witnessing an increase in the number of commuters


Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) – Manal Khalid


During the first quarter of 2013, Dubai Metro managed to achieve a significant increase in the number of its commuters compared to the same period last year; as the number of commuters of both Red and Green lines increased to around 33 million and 341 thousand and 95 since January throughout March 2013, this indicates the significance of the Metro to the whole society as the best used means of transportation.


Adnan Al Hammadi, Chief Executive Officer of the Rail Agency, RTA, Dubai, stated that this year witnessed an obvious growth in the number of the Metro’s commuters compared to the same period of last year, adding that “this is what we seek to achieve through our annual schemes by setting a diversified package of initiatives and activities that contribute in attracting all segments of society to use the Metro as the premier means of transportation as it’s featured to be secure, safe and luxurious at the same time.

“The 52-kilometer Red Line includes 29 stations, four of them are underground and 25 are elevated, meet the requirements of all individuals in their transportation in the main areas at the Emirate of Dubai,” he added.


According to Al Hammadi, the number of trips through the Metro in the first quarter of this year reached 26 thousand and 359, while the number reached 7 thousand and 941 trips through the Metro’s Green Line.

He also revealed that the Red Line transported in the first quarter 21 million and 803 thousand and 705 commuters.

Deira City Centre Station ranked on top in attracting around 1,643,115 commuters from January to March, followed by Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall station with 1,573,337 commuters, in the third rank came the Mall of the Emirates station with 1,437,421 commuters, and in fourth came Al Ittihad station with 1,392,419.

While regarding Dubai Metro’s Green Line, the CEO of the Rail Agency explained that the 22-kilometer Green Line that includes 18 stations 6 out of which are underground, transported 11,537,390 commuters in the first quarter of this year.

According to Al Hammadi, Al Fahidi station came first in the number of people transported which reached 1,372,303 commuters, followed by Baniyas Square Station with 1,345,248 commuters, Al Ghubaiba Station came third with 1,116,000 commuters and finally the Oud Maitha Station with 903,106 commuters.

RTA offers inquiry about Dubai Metro schedule by SMS service

RTA offers inquiry about Dubai Metro schedule by SMS service

Dubai- Roads & Transport Authority – Manal Khalid:
The Rail Agency, Roads & Transport Authority (RTA), has launches a new service for inquiring about the timing of the Dubai Metro services in different times through short text messages to be sent to 5223. The service is coordinated with the Public Transport Agency via the timetables of the Journey Planner (Wojhati); an exercise that saves much time and effort of customers, rendering the metro transit experience highly smooth & accessible.

Ramadan Abdulla, Director of Rail Operation, RTA Rail Agency, said: “The RTA is keen on offering a bunch of new technological services that meet the needs of the public and facilitate the processes of using mass transit systems in general and the Metro in particular. Delivering this service is aligned with the highest international standards of mass transit systems, and enhances the satisfaction of customers who are the backbone of the success of our various initiatives, particularly as the Agency is aspiring to contribute to realizing RTA’s strategic goals highlighted by “Customers Centricity”.

“The SMS service will enable metro riders to know the metro schedules in a precise and handy manner, offering them real-time information that help them travel smoothly. The new initiative fits well with the profile of Dubai as a premier global trading and economic hub,” explained Ramadan.

The Director of Rail Operation summarized the procedure of availing the service in sending a text message to the Number 5223 containing the letter D, followed by the Code of the Stand near the metro arrival point, which is also contained in the information display monitors and the Metro Guide available in all Green and Red Metro Line stations. The customer will receive a message communicating the timing of three inbound journeys. In case the rider is interested in knowing different timetables, he or she can insert the letter D, followed by the Code of the Stand and the required time, he added.

Ramadan concluded his statement by stressing that such a vital service would undoubtedly boost the use of the metro ridership as it helps users access to information directly and instantly.

367m passengers used public transit means in Dubai in 2012 as daily ridership breaks 1m passengers

367m passengers used public transit means in Dubai in 2012 as daily ridership breaks 1m passengers

AL TAYER:109M PASSENGERS LIFTED BY DUBAI METRO LAST YEAR

Dubai- Roads & Transport Authority: Mohammed Al Munji:
H.E. Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the Roads & Transport Authority (RTA), revealed that RTA public transport means, comprising Dubai Metro, public buses, marine transit modes and taxis (Dubai taxi and franchise companies) have lifted 367.657 million passengers in 2012 compared with 346.5 million passengers in 2011, and 323 million passengers in 2010, according to figures released by RTA Statistics Section. This brings the daily ridership of public transit means in Dubai last year to more than one million passengers whereas it was 963 thousand passengers in 2011, and 922 thousand passengers in 2010.

“The RTA is progressing in fast but solid steps towards achieving the objectives set out for it since inception i.e. providing an integrated roads & transport system that ensures smooth traffic movement, achieving the highest safety levels for all system users, and enhancing the multi modal integration of all mass transit means in Dubai Emirate,” said Al Tayer.

“The RTA has been endeavouring to provide mass transit systems to keep pace with the growth seen by the Emirate, and make them the ideal mobility choice for the public under the context of realizing one of the core objectives of the RTA vis-à-vis reducing the use of private vehicles and increasing the share of public transport from 6% in 2006 to 30% in 2030.

“The Dubai Metro, including both Red & Green Lines, has lifted last year 109.491 million passengers compared to only 69 million passengers in 2011. The number of passengers lifted on the Red Line last year clocked 71.914 million passengers which compares well with the number lifted in 2011 amounting to 60.024 million passengers, and the Green Line, which had been inaugurated on 9/9/2011, lifted about 37.576 million passengers last year; which brings the daily ridership of the metro close to 300 thousand passengers. The average daily ridership of the metro during the final quarter of last year saw a remarkable growth with the month of December clocking an average daily ridership of 364 thousand passengers.

“The number of commuters using public buses in 2012 has hit 120.774 million passengers compared with 107.407 million passengers in 2011, with a daily ridership of about 331 thousand passengers in 2012, compared with 298 thousand passengers per day in 2011. The number of commuters using marine transit means, comprising abras, Water Bus, Water Taxi and Dubai Ferry was about 13 million passengers last year, compared with 14.221 million passengers in 2011. This drop in ridership is attributed to some commuters electing to switch from abras to the metro. Abras have ferried about 12.552 million passengers last year compared with 13.8 million passengers in 2011. About 347 thousand passengers were lifted by the Water Bus, 13.5 thousand passengers were ferried by the Water Taxi, and 55 thousand passengers were served by the Dubai Ferry, thus the total ridership of marine transit modes touches 35,616 passengers per day.

“The number of trips made by taxis (Dubai Taxi and franchise companies) clocked 68,695,237 trips in 2012 compared with 62,360,000 trips in 2011; which was coupled with an increase in the number of taxi users to 137.39 million passengers in 2012 from 124.72 million passengers in 2011. Taxicabs in Dubai Emirate make about 188,206 daily trips lifting about 376 thousand passengers,” elaborated Al Tayer.
RTA Chairman of the Board and Executive Director was delighted with these indicators which show that the massive investments pumped by the Government of Dubai in upgrading the infrastructure of the transport sector has proved both successful & effective. The mounting numbers of public transit commuters is an indicative of an evolution in the culture of using public transport means by various spectrums of community members, particularly with the availability of the metro service. Peoples have started to grasp the benefits and advantages of using public transport such as the psychological & physical relief of passengers, high safety level, and reduced expenditure on vehicles in terms of fuel, maintenance among others.

Captions:
- Mattar Al Tayer
- Number of passengers using Dubai Metro on the rise
- Public buses linking all districts of the Emirate
- Marine transit means shuttling between the two shores of Dubai.

213 m riders used Dubai Metro since launched till Nov 2012

213 m riders used Dubai Metro since launched till Nov 2012

Roads & Transport Authority – Mohammed Al Munji:

H.E. Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the Roads & Transport Authority (RTA), revealed that the Dubai Metro, both Red and Green Lines, has touched new heights with ridership hitting 213.354 million passengers from the start of the commercial service on 10 September 2009 till the end of November 2012. He added that ridership of the Dubai Metro had seen a huge growth during this year with the average daily ridership hovering around 350 thousand commuters and the number is set rise in the near future, particularly after the opening of Danube Station on the Red Line; which serves Jebel Ali Industrial Area.

Al Tayer was delighted with these positive indicators depicting the growth in the ridership of the Dubai Metro; which, he said, reveal that RTA plan to augment the ridership of public transit means is moving in the right direction. “It also indicates a transition in the culture and attitudes of the community towards public transit systems as people started to grasp the benefits of using public transport systems such as the psychological & physical comfort in travelling light, and economizing on the expenses for fuel and maintenance of vehicles,” he added.

“The number of commuters using the Red Line since launched on 9/9/2009 till the end of September 2012 hit 170,621,483 passengers. The ridership is continuously on the rise; jumping from 1.8 million passengers in October 2009 to 3.3 million passengers in August 2010 and went further to hit 6.5 million passengers in November this year. The number of commuters using the Green Line since opened in September 2011 till the end of last August touched 42,733,093 passengers, and the ridership soared from 2.4 million passengers in October 2011 to 3,492,554 passengers last November.

“Al Ittihad, Burjuman, Deira City Center, Mall of the Emirates and Rigga stations accounted for the lion share in the total number of commuters on the Red Line. Ridership rates hit 16,224,270 passengers in Al Ittihad Station, 15,611,842 passengers in Burjuman Station, 14,053,193 passengers in Deira City Center, 13,568,414 passengers in Mall of the Emirates Station, and 11,076,128 passengers in Rigga Station. On the Green Line, Al Fahidi Station accounted for the largest number of Green Line commuters attracting 5,232,868 passengers, followed by Bani Yas Station that serves high density residential & business district which was used by 5,006,149 passengers, Al Ghubaiba Station which was used by 3,731,209 passengers, Oud Maitha Station which served 3,291,071 passengers, and Salah Uddin Station which served 2,982,046 passengers.

“These indicators illustrate that the RTA is moving ahead with its drive to achieve its strategic objective of raising the rate of trips made by public transit means to 30% by 2030, and this rate has touched 10% in 2011.

“Dubai Government has pumped massive investments in upgrading the infrastructure of public transport sector; which proved successful and effective, and contributed to bolstering the development drive seen by the Emirate under the prudent leadership of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, as reflected in the thriving business climate, and growing tourist activities as well as the provision of safe & smooth transit. These ingredients are bound to encourage mobility, revive the economy, and raise the competitive edge of Dubai in hosting international events such as conventions, sport events, horse-races … etc, besides conserving the environment, slashing the financial impacts of traffic jams, and diverting the demand from private vehicles to public transit means.

Captions:
- Mattar Al Tayer
- Dubai Metro providing a new link for the districts of the Emirate
- Accelerated growth of the metro ridership

Dubai Metro train faults: 1 fault every 4m km_Al Tayer

Dubai Metro train faults: 1 fault every 4m km_Al Tayer

The Roads & Transport Authority – Mohammed Al Munji:
His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the Roads & Transport Authority (RTA), revealed that the faults rate in Dubai Metro is one single fault per 4 million kilometers done by the metro i.e. one fault in one metro car every 800 thousand kilometers. Such a rate is considered as excellent when measured by the standards of modern trains' faults worldwide, and a testament to RTA's commitment to provide the highest safety & security levels in the operation of the Dubai Metro. This will translate into security, safety and comfort for the metro commuters from the moment they enter the metro station till their exit; which clearly demonstrates RTA's Vision of providing Safe & Smooth Transport for All.

Al Tayer made these comments in a tour that took him to the Control Center and Trains Maintenance & Cleaning Workshop at the Jebel Ali Depot during which he was accompanied by the CEO of Rail Agency Adnan Al Hammadi, Director of Rail Planning & Development Abdul Rida Abu Al Hasan, Director of Rail Operation Ramadan Abdullah, Director of Rail Operation Ali Abdul Qadir, and a number of engineers.

During the tour, Al Tayer was briefed by Adnan Al Hammadi about the work mechanism adopted in Jebel Ali Metro Depot which spans an area of 110 thousand square meters, and acts as a standby control center for operating the metro in case of any failure in the Control Center at Al Rashidiya. Operation tests are carried out regularly for all the facilities of Jebel Ali Metro Depot to measure their operational readiness.
Al Hammadi added that the Depot has a capacity to house 40 trains, and the workshop carries out internal cleaning of 20 trains, and body washing of 8 trains per day.

RTA Chairman of the Board and Executive Director then toured the sections of the Workshop where trains maintenance & cleaning is carried out. The Workshop is fitted with gantry cranes, sophisticated electronic systems enabling maintenance works to be done for more than one train at a time, air-conditioners and advance firefighting systems. Al Tayer inspected the safety aspects observed by the Workshop to ensure the security & safety of the staff in line with the latest and best standards of the industry worldwide. He also inspected the Control Center of trains operation systems; which ensures the safety of doors, brakes and engines of each individual train as well as the safety of air-conditioners and other sophisticated subsidiary electronic systems.

"The Dubai Metro has three depots for maintaining & cleaning trains; two for the Red Line at Al Rashidiya & Jebel Ali, and one for the Green Line at Al Qusais. It also has two Metro Operation Control Centers; one at Jebel Ali (as a contingency control center), and the other is the Main Control Center at Al Rashidiya; which acts as a watchdog of the movement of trains throughout the day to ensure the safety of commuters. It exercises full control of the daily operation of the Dubai Metro service on both the Red & Green Lines. There is a giant display monitor for both lines in addition to 37 totally separate display monitors on the Red Line and 28 monitors on the Green Line.

The Center controls & monitors the movement of the rolling stock and relevant systems through monitoring the performance of the automated systems of trains movement, communication, transformers, and power feed of trains and metro stations. The Center has several sections manned by highly qualified technical staff for implementing the rules & procedures regarding the safe operation of trains, management of emergency cases and taking appropriate decisions to overcome the difficulties encountered. The Center communicates with train passengers through communication systems on board the metro cars, and the Control Room, in case of emergency.

The Control Center monitors trains movement, provides passengers information systems, manages trains entry into railway, controls the operation & stopping of trains, monitors the environmental control, and watches the power supply feed for trains and stations. It also supervises the safety systems such as the systems of firefighting, ventilation of tunnel & station systems, and train air-conditioning besides verifying the safety of doors, brakes and engines of each train individually.

Captions:
Mattar Al Tayer inspecting the Jebel Ali Metro Depot

Dubai Metro sets Guinness World Record as the Longest Driverless Metro Line

Dubai Metro sets Guinness World Record as the Longest Driverless Metro Line

The metro lines stretch 74.695 km

The Roads & Transport Authority – Mohammed Al Munji:
The Dubai Metro, comprising the Red & Green Lines combined, has entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest driverless metro network in the world spanning 74.695 kilometers. The achievement is a further addition to the achievement already made by the Dubai Metro Red Line in September 2011 in setting a Guinness World Record as the longest driverless metro line in the world extending 52 km.
His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the Roads & Transport Authority (RTA), has recently received the Guinness Certificate from Talal Omar, Regional Director of Guinness Book of World Records in the Middle East, in the presence of Adnan Al Hammadi, CEO of Rail Agency, and several Directors of the RTA.

Al Tayer, dedicated the achievement to HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President & Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, who is the driving force of the Dubai Metro project.

"The implementation of the Dubai Metro project is a true testament to the vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in uplifting the infrastructure of Dubai Emirate. HH has been closely monitoring and directing all phases of the work progress in the project, and endorsed the suitable route from several alternatives presented. HH envisioned using the metro as a backbone linking various parts of Dubai city enabling commuters smooth mobility while enjoying a panoramic view of the city's landmarks. Parts of the track have been selected to be underground and others elevated to support this vision and suit the urban layout of the Dubai city. From inception, HH directed to make the Dubai Metro the best in the world and therefore cutting-edge technology of rail industry has been endorsed including an air-conditioning system in stations & trains befitting the climatic conditions of Dubai urban districts. All trains are operated by an integrated electronic system enabling the exercising of enhanced control and setting trip timings in a highly accurate format. The metro stations feature a creative & distinctive architectural design pattern, and are been fitted with the latest safety & security techniques. Parking lots have been allocated for private vehicles & public buses in each station.

"The total length of the Green & Red Lines combined amount to 74.694 km of which 52 km are on the Red Line, and 22.694 km are on the Green Line. The metro has a total of 47 stations of which 29 stations are on the Red Line and 18 stations are on the Green Line. The two lines intersect twice; first at the Union Station which is the biggest underground metro station in the world spanning an area of 25,000 square meters, and second at Khalid bin Al Waleed Station; which is one of the most stunning metro stations in the world, thus enabling users smooth transfer between the two lines through these two stations," said Al Tayer in a concluding remark.
For his part Talal Omar, Regional Director of Guinness Book of World Records in the Middle East, said: "The Certificate has been awarded to the Dubai Metro following a tour by a team from the Guinness Book of World Records on the Red and Green Lines of the Dubai Metro where measurements of the two lines have been taken." He expressed his delight to have this global achievement registered in the name of Dubai Emirate to embellish Arab achievements records.

Talal was highly impressed by the Dubai Metro project and the fabulous design of the metro stations featuring different themes of water, air, fire, and earth as well as the iconic heritage-inspired designs. He also admired the functionality of the system citing the orderly & disciplined users of the metro as well as the rapid growth in the metro ridership which is continuously on the rise.

Captions:
Al Tayer receiving the Guinness certificate from Talal Omar

11.8m passengers used Dubai Metro Green Line in 5 months

11.8m passengers used Dubai Metro Green Line in 5 months

The Roads & Transport Authority – Manal Khalid:
Since starting operation in September 2011, the Green Line of the Dubai Metro has seen ridership levels beyond expectations with as much as 11,849,172 passengers travelling through the Green Line up to last January. Such a trend is indicative of the unanticipated growth in the number of commuters using the Green Line; which underlines the fact that the line stretches across vital, cultural and residential areas in Dubai, making it the most popular mass transit means around.

Ramadan Abdullah, Director of Rail Operation at RTA Rail Agency, said: “The growing numbers of passengers using the Green Line reflect the substantial evolution in the culture of community members vis-à-vis the use of mass transit means, particularly the Metro as it offers a physical & psychological relief for commuters in a hassle-free travelling experience.

“Over less than five months, the Dubai Metro Green Line has managed to break the 11 million passengers’ barrier as the line has a host of benefits & features highlighted by the coverage of several destinations in Dubai that meet the needs of various community segments. The track passes through vital heritage, business, residential, cultural and health spots; rendering it the most demanded and used public transport means in the area. The ridership of the Green Line has hit 2.785 million passengers in last December, and in January 2012 the figure reached 2,849,171 passengers,” he elaborated.

The Director of RTA Rail Operation indicated that the most popular metro stations on the Green Line in December and January last was Al Fuhaidi Station where the number of users clocked 694,176 passengers; which is attributed to the strategic location of the Station as it sits at the junction of Khalid bin Al Waleed Street, Al Musalla Street and Al Mankhool Street in an area packed with electronic and computer shops, Gulf Center and several banks.

Next in the most popular stations list comes Bani Yas Station as the number of commuters using the station over the last two months has hit 664,351 passengers. The Station is characterized by its important geographical location as it is in close proximity to of the old business center of the Dubai Emirate; which is a highly attractive point to tourists & visitors hailing from various nationalities and groups. Third in the pecking order of the metro stations is Al Ghubaiba Station which was used by 504,771 passengers in December and January last. The Station is located in the heart of a vibrant Dubai locality of Al Bastakiya and Shindagha, just near the Heritage & Diving Villages; which are iconic UAE heritage landmarks and a destination to considerable numbers of visitors besides bordering the marine transit modes (abras).

“The success of the Dubai Metro adds to the success of the Dubai city which is aspiring to develop best-in-class services in public in mass transit systems in general and the Dubai Metro in particular to keep pace with the massive urban, cultural and residential boom seen by the city. It also contributes to serving the needs and expectations of a wide spectrum of community members as a whole, and helps conserve the environment.