By Staff Reporter
Dubai: At 9 minutes and 9 seconds past 9pm on 09.09.09, Dubai made history. The launch of the Dubai Metro not only transformed how residents move around the city but also how millions of visitors experience it. What many once doubted would work in a car-dependent city quickly proved its worth, more than 110,000 people, nearly 10 per cent of Dubai’s population at the time, boarded the Metro within its first 48 hours.
Fast forward 16 years and the Metro has become the backbone of Dubai’s transport system. In 2024 alone, it carried 275.4 million riders, serving a city that now has a population of 4 million.
With demand continuing to grow, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is preparing to add the Blue Line, a 30-kilometre extension that will connect to the Red and Green lines, cross Dubai Creek and link major hubs such as Academic City, Silicon Oasis, and Dubai Festival City.
From its early construction in 2006 to its grand inauguration in 2009, Gulf News has been there to document the Metro’s journey – a Dh28 billion project that redefined commuting in Dubai. On its 16th anniversary, we look back at some of the milestones and moments that shaped this modern icon.
1. Sheikh Mohammed was the first passenger
The Dubai Metro’s inaugural ride began when His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, bought the first ticket. Using his personalised blue nol card, Sheikh Mohammed boarded the first train at Mall of the Emirates station, embarking on a one-hour trip that ended at Etisalat station in Al Qusais (now Etisalat by e& Metro Station).
Watch Sheikh Mohammed’s surprise visit on the Dubai Tram
2. One of the world’s longest driverless networks
From its launch until 2016, the Dubai Metro held the Guinness World Record as the longest driverless metro network, stretching 75 kilometres. Today, the system covers nearly 90km with 55 stations, split between the Red and Green Lines. With the upcoming Blue Line expansion, Dubai’s total rail network, including the tram, will grow to 131km. The Dubai Metro is the first urban rail system in GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council).
3. More than a billion passengers carried
Since 2009, the Metro has transported over 2.4 billion riders across more than 4.3 million journeys, boasting an impressive 99.7 per cent punctuality rate. In 2024 alone, the network served an average of 900,000 passengers daily.
4. 143.9 million riders in the first half of 2025
The Metro remains the backbone of Dubai’s public transport system. In the first half of 2025 alone, 143.9 million people used the Red and Green Lines. The busiest stations included:
