Tracks Through Time: 17 Moments In Dubai Metro's History In Photos

It began with a dream in the 1990s, and became a reality on September 9, 2009. Seventeen years later, the Dubai Metro is still rewriting the rules of urban transport.

Here are 17 moments you may not have seen in the history of the network that keeps Dubai moving.

Although the studies for the Dubai Metro began as early as the 1990s, the planning for the rail network began in 2003. On May 29, 2005, Susumu Uchida, director and board member of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, left, and Qasim Sultan, Director-General of Dubai Municipality, signed the Dubai Metro project deal, marking the beginning of the ambitious project.

In February 2007, surveyors marked the location of Emirates Towers Metro Station along Sheikh Zayed Road as part of the Dubai Metro project, ahead of track and station construction.

This photo taken on April 25, 2008, shows a metro train engine and two bogies being installed on the track at Jebel Ali Metro Station during the construction of the Dubai Metro

After three years of construction, the Dubai Metro began operations on September 9, 2009. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum became the first passenger, boarding the rail at Mall of the Emirates Station along with other officials.

The Dubai Metro made its Bollywood debut when Salman Khan and Sonakshi Sinha filmed a song sequence for the blockbuster Dabangg at Khalid Bin Al Waleed Station, now BurJuman. It was the first film shoot inside the Dubai Metro, with scenes filmed across the station and inside a train

Two years after the successful operations of the red line, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum inaugurated the Dubai Metro Green Line, marking a major milestone in the emirate's public transport development. The line initially spanned 23 km and opened with 18 stations, with Union and Khalid bin Al Waleed (now Burjuman station) serving as interchange stations with the Red Line. Today, the Green Line covers 22.5 km with 20 stations, connecting key areas across Deira and Bur Dubai

In February 2012, the Dubai Metro made history by entering the Guinness World Records as the world's longest driverless metro network, with its Red and Green Lines spanning a total of 75 km

In true Dubai fashion, the metro turned into a runway on January 23, 2013. Organised by the Dubai Events and Promotions Establishment (DEPE) and Bloomingdale's as part of Dubai Fashion 2013, the event was the first of its kind in the region, turning a Dubai Metro journey into an unconventional fashion runway when Express Fashion brought models and designers aboard a moving train.

In June 2016, Dubai approved the Dh10.6 billion Route 2020 Metro project, awarding the contract to a consortium of French, Spanish and Turkish companies. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum directed the immediate start of the project, extending the Dubai Metro's Red Line by 15 km from Nakheel Harbour and Tower Station to the Expo 2020 site. The extension featured seven stations, including a transfer station, the Expo Station, three elevated stations and two underground stations, significantly improving connectivity to Dubai's major exhibition and business destination

On November 1, 2018, Dubai achieved another Guinness World Record when commuters from 96 nationalities travelled together on the Metro, forming a human chain at Etisalat Metro Station. The record was part of the week-long Public Transport Day celebrations organised by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan and Mattar Al Tayer received the Guinness World Records title on behalf of Dubai. The achievement surpassed the previous record of 75 nationalities, set by Norway in 2013, highlighting Dubai Metro's role as a symbol of the city's multicultural community

In March 2019, for the first time, Dubai Metro stations were transformed into lively music venues as international musicians performed for commuters across five stations. The inaugural festival brought live music into the daily journeys of Metro passengers, adding a new cultural experience to Dubai's public transport network.

Even as the Covid-19 lockdown continued across the world, Dubai Metro marked its 11th anniversary on September 9, 2020 with a special Executive Council meeting held at Expo Station. The meeting was chaired by Dubai Crown Prince and Chairman of the Executive Council, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, highlighting the Metro's growing importance to Dubai's transport network and development.

In June 2025, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid laid the foundation stone for the Dubai Metro Blue Line, marking another major milestone in Dubai's transport expansion. The 30-km line, featuring 14 stations, will connect nine key districts and is expected to serve around one million residents by 2040. The Blue Line is scheduled to open to the public on September 9, 2029, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the Dubai Metro

The Blue Line will feature the world's tallest metro station, the Emaar Properties Station, rising 74 metres above ground. It will also include Dubai's first Metro bridge crossing Dubai Creek, stretching 1.3 km and further enhancing connectivity between the city's communities

In April 2026, Sheikh Mohammed approved the Dh34-billion Dubai Metro Gold Line, a proposed 42-km underground line featuring 18 stations. The Gold Line is scheduled to open on September 9, 2032, marking another significant chapter in Dubai's long-term public transport vision.

In the first year of the Dubai Metro, it carried a little of six million riders. This year, the network carried 136.5 million riders during the first half of 2026, highlighting its growing role as a key part of the emirate's public transport network. BurJuman and Union, the two interchange stations serving both the Red and Green Lines, were the busiest, recording 8.4 million and 6.5 million riders, respectively.

From launching the first-of-its-kind WO-RK coworking space at BurJuman Metro Station in June 2024, to providing delivery riders with a dedicated space to cool down and rest between orders in August 2026, Dubai Metro is more than just a means of transportation in the city. These initiatives reflect Dubai's people-focused approach to public transport. It creates spaces that not only move people efficiently but also support their comfort, wellbeing and everyday needs.

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