We’re on board with this expansion plan

Do you hop on or off at the Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Metro station? Take note that you may notice some construction taking place in the near future as the station is undergoing a massive expansion.

The news was announced by Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in collaboration with Emaar Properties.

Why is it being expanded?

According to RTA, it is to accommodate growing passenger demand, particularly during New Year’s Eve, public holidays, and national events and holidays.

It includes an expansion of the station’s area from 6,700 to 8,500 square meters, which will increase its hourly capacity from 7,250 to 12,320 passengers. This marks a 65% increase. RTA has stated once the station is ready, it will serve up to 220,000 passengers per day.

Speaking on the expansion project, His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Director General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority stated, “The Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Metro Station is a key hub in the Dubai Metro network, thanks to its strategic location near Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, and Downtown Dubai. It serves as a convenient and efficient gateway for residents and visitors, particularly during large-scale events and holidays, particularly New Year’s Eve, Eids, national events, and public holidays.”

He added that the project is a response to the rising demand for metro services. Over New Year’s Eve alone, passengers exceed 110,000. The numbers come from visitors and residents who visit Downtown Dubai to view the stunnig Burj Khalifa laser show and fireworks.

Quoting the numbers, Al Tayer stated that since opening in early 2010, ‘Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Metro Station has experienced consistent growth in usage. Passenger numbers rose from 6.13 million in 2013 to 7.254 million in 2016, reaching 7.885 million in 2019, averaging 43,000 boarding and alightings daily. In 2022, the figure climbed to 8.827 million, surpassed 10.202 million in 2023 (56,000 daily average), and exceeded 10.577 million in 2024, with nearly 58,000 daily boarding and alightings.”

More about the project

The project will also enhance pedestrian bridges and add additional escalators and elevators. Additionally, there will be separate entry and exit gates to optimise passenger movement.

Additionally, the new space will allow for increasing the number of fare gates. Commercial spaces can also be set up to boost revenue.

Further elements will include integration with public transport and other mobility modes, along with landscaping enhancements.

At the moment, RTA has not announced when this project will begin or its end date, but we will let you know as soon as we find out.

Further expansion plans

Remember, construction for the Dubai Metro Blue Line is also in full swing, so the RTA is keeping itself very busy.

The Blue Line is expected to be ready for operations on September 9, 2029. For those of you in the know, you will acknowledge that this is a nod to the opening of the Red Line, which opened on September 9, 2009, aka 09-09-09.

You can read more about the Dubai Metro Blue Line here.

We’re also curious if other Dubai Metro stations, including Business Bay, will follow suit. We will just have to wait to find out.

@rta_dubai

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