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In a historic move, Dubai's Ruler laid the foundation stone for the first metro station of the Blue Line on Monday, June 9, with the new project set to transport passengers across the bustling city from September 9, 2029.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, attended the foundation laying stone ceremony, where he was walked through the goals of the new network as work officially begins.

During the ceremony, the design of the Emaar Properties station — the highest Metro station in the world — was unveiled, showcasing a regal golden cylinder-like structure, with motifs embossed on its exterior.

The ceremony, held on June 9, adds to the series of monumental events that have taken place on this date. Nine is a distinctive number in the Dubai Metro's history with the railway network opening at exactly the 9th second of the 9th minute at 9pm on 9-9-2009. The commencement of the Blue Line network will be coinciding with the Dubai Metro's 20th anniversary, paying an ode to the original growing network that has transported over 2.527 billion passengers since its launch

Upon arriving at the venue of the ceremony, the leader was welcomed with a historical gallery showcasing the dream of the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum for constructing a metro line connecting Dubai district — which has now given birth to the highly successful Metro network that zooms across the city.

It included a collection of photographs from the leader's visits to several world capitals, as well as rare images of him using the railway network in the United Kingdom, where the idea of constructing a similar project in Dubai was conceived.

Highest Metro station

During the historic ceremony, the Dubai Ruler approved the design for the Emaar Properties Station, the highest Metro station in the world, which will stand tall at 74 metres. The station will also offer integrated commercial and investment opportunities.

The RTA revealed that Emaar had secured the naming rights for the station for the next ten years, starting from its official inauguration in 2029. The next phase will include announcements regarding naming rights for other stations along the Blue Line.

The design for the new station, inspired by the concept of a crossing gateway, was designed by the renowned American architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), one of the world’s leading design studios.

The firm’s designs include iconic landmarks such as the Burj Khalifa, the Olympic Tower in New York, and the Sears Tower in Chicago.

The station, covering an area of approximately 11,000 square metres, will be created to integrate into the existing urban environment and embody the vision of ‘Dubai: A Gateway to the Future’.

The station is designed to accommodate up to 160,000 passengers per day, with the number of daily users expected to exceed 70,000 by 2040. It will also serve an estimated 40,000 residents of Dubai Creek Harbour, in addition to visitors.

The new line will also include the first Dubai Metro bridge crossing Dubai Creek, which is expected to stretch over an area of 1,300 metres.

Unique design

The station's unique design is created to echo the sense of luxury that Dubai provides.

As visitors enter, they will find themselves surrounded by towering walls, finished in natural textures and warm, earthy tones, that strengthen the connection to the land, reflect the spirit of place, and embody the community’s resilience and cohesion.

Durable finishes such as Jura limestone and bronze metal wall panels will take over at the platform level, complemented by robust granite flooring. At both the lobby and platform levels, glass ceiling panels allow natural light to flood down to the platform level.

Blue Line Metro project

The expansion project of the iconic Dubai Metro, spanning 30 kilometres and including 14 stations, will have 28 trains in its network and will bring the current railway network to 78 stations and 131km.

The Dh20.5-billion project, which is set to generating over Dh56 million in profits, is expected to carry 200,000 riders in 2030 and see a rise to 320,000 passengers by 2040.

The transport network will carry 46,000 passengers per hour in both directions and is expected to reduce traffic congestion on the routes it serves by 20 per cent. The new line will connect nine key districts across the city — Mirdif, Al Warqa, International City 1 and 2, Dubai Silicon Oasis, Academic City, Ras Al Khor Industrial Area, Dubai Creek Harbour, and Dubai Festival City — projected to be home to over one million residents, as outlined in the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan.

Travel time along the route is expected to range between 10 and 25 minutes.

The Dubai Metro Blue Line will features 14 stations, including three interchange stations: Creek Station at Al Jaddaf on the Green Line, Centrepoint Station at Al Rashidiya on the Red Line, and International City 1 Station on the Blue Line, in addition to the iconic station located in Dubai Creek Harbour. The line includes nine elevated stations and five underground stations.

The line has all the features of an integrated transport system, including public bus bays, taxi stands, dedicated areas for bike and electric scooter racks, and parking spaces for People of Determination.

The line will also be home to the largest underground interchange station in the network, spanning over 44,000 square metres with a projected capacity of 350,000 passengers per day.

On December 19, Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority had announced that it awarded awarded a Dh20.5-billion contract to three prominent Turkish and Chinese companies — Mapa, Limak, and CRRC — for the project's construction.

The project is the first such transport project in Dubai to fully comply with green building standards, achieving Platinum Category certification.

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