When the Dubai Metro was introduced, it changed not only how residents navigate the city but also how millions of tourists see it. More than 110,000 passengers, or about 10% of Dubai's population at the time, boarded the Metro in its first 48 hours, thus demonstrating its value in a metropolis that depended heavily on cars.
Dubai created history on September 9, 2009, at 9 minutes and 9 seconds after 9 p.m. After 16 years, the Dubai Metro has evolved into the core of the city’s transport network, recording 275.4 million riders in 2024 and serving a population of 4 million.
To meet rising demand, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is set to introduce the Blue Line — a 30 km extension that will connect with the Red and Green lines, span Dubai Creek, and link key destinations including Academic City, Silicon Oasis, and Dubai Festival City.
