We delivered what we promised, Sheikh Mohammed says as Dubai Metro celebrates 2 billion passengers

The idea of Dubai Metro was not familiar to the region when it was introduced, the Dubai Ruler recalled on Sunday as the popular public transport system recorded a total of two billion passengers.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, celebrated the achievement on Sunday in a tweet.

Sheikh Mohammed tweeted: “The idea of ​​the Dubai Metro is novel in the region. Although there were some conflicting opinions, we went ahead with a bold decision and we delivered what we promised.

“Today, the number of Dubai Metro passengers has reached 2 billion since its inauguration on 9 September 2009. Dubai Metro has 129 trains, 53 stations, and serves more than 600,000 passengers per day at a punctuality of 99.7%.”

It has a fleet of 129 modern trains, moving around 53 stations at an impeccable punctuality rate of 99.7 per cent.

The metro’s Red Line transported 1.342 billion commuters while the Green Line served 673.531 million commuters.

Sheikh Mohammed underscored the wisdom of the decision. He said: “In moments of difficult decisions, the worst option is not to make a decision, because in these moments the destiny of countries and societies is made.”

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, said that Dubai’s ability to build a world-class transport network was the result of the vision of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

He praised the RTA for its efforts to implementing quality projects that cater to the mobility needs of the community. “The Dubai Metro has become the backbone of a transit system that connects various key districts in the emirate, ensuring a safe and smooth mobility for riders,” he said.

Highlighting the positive impact of the Dubai Metro as a sustainable and environment-friendly public transport solution, he said: “The Dubai Metro is a vital project that serves the community and reflects Dubai’s keenness to provide effective, environmentally friendly and sustainable transport solutions. Dubai will continue to develop a highly efficient and reliable transport system to facilitate smooth and safe mobility and support the emirate’s overall development goals.”

Dubai Metro’s average daily ridership surpassed 616,000 riders in 2022, indicating that RTA’s efforts to increase public transportation usage are succeeding.

Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors, Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), said: “Statistics reveal a consistent rise in Dubai Metro ridership since the start of the service in September 2009. During the first four months after its inauguration, the metro served 6.089 million riders. By 2010, the number of riders surged from 38.089 million in 2010 to 69.007 million in 2011, the year the Green Line was inaugurated. In 2012, the metro ridership jumped to 109.049 million, reflecting a 58% growth compared to the previous year. In 2013, ridership clocked 137.759 million, and by 2014, the number soared to 164.307 million, a growth rate of over 19%. Metro ridership continued to grow, reaching 178.646 million in 2015, and the upward rise clocked 191.325 million riders in 2016 and crossed the 200.752 million barrier in 2017. By the end of 2017, the total number of metro users since its launch exceeded one billion.

“The Dubai Metro’s ridership continued to grow steadily hitting 204.405 million riders in 2018 and 202.978 million in 2019. However, in 2020, when the world was hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, metro ridership declined due to lockdowns and precautionary measures, resulting in 113.626 million riders that year. As recovery commenced and life returned to normalcy, the ridership jumped to 151.255 million in 2021. In 2022, the Dubai Metro set a new record and the highest since its launch by serving 225.142 million riders, a remarkable growth rate of nearly 49%. The total number of Dubai Metro users since its inauguration through January of 2023 exceeded two billion.” added Al Tayer.

The Dubai Metro holds its standing as the world’s longest driverless metro project and is known as the flagship project of both the RTA as well as Dubai’s public transport network. The metro consists of the Red and Green Lines, which span over 89.3km and connect 53 stations served by a fleet of 129 trains.