The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has announced that Route 2020, the extension of the Dubai Metro line from Jebel Ali Station to Expo 2020 station, would begin commercial operations starting from January 1, 2021.

 

The initial operational phase would cover four stations, namely Jebel Ali (interchange station), The Gardens, Discovery Gardens, and Al Furjan, and the other remaining three stations would be opened later, said the statement from RTA.

 

All the four operating stations are elevated stations. The first is the Jebel Ali, an interchange station with the Red Line. The station spans 8,800 square metres in area and extends 150 metres in length. It can serve 17,000 riders per hour during peak times and 320,000 riders per day. 

 

The station has four rail boarding platforms, four bus stands, 17 taxi stands and seven parking slots for people of determination. It also offers eight outlets of 388 square metres for commercial investment.

 

The second is the Gardens station covering 8,100 sq m in area and extending 168 m in length. It can serve 6,770 riders per hour during peak times and 125,000 riders per day. The station has two rail boarding platforms, four bus stands, 20 taxi stands and two parking slots for people of determination. It also offers five outlets of 161 sq.m for commercial investment.

 

The third is the Discovery Gardens which spans an area of 8,600 sq m and extends 168 m in length. It can serve 6,770 riders per hour during peak times and 125,000 riders per day. 

The station has two rail boarding platforms, four bus stands, 20 taxi stands and two parking slots for people of determination. It also offers four outlets of 149 square metres for commercial investment.

 

The fourth is Al Furjan spanning 8,400 sq m in area and extending 168 m in length. It can serve 6,770 riders per hour during peak times and 125,000 riders per day. The station has two rail boarding platforms, four bus stands, 20 taxi stands and two parking slots for people of determination. It also offers four outlets of 149 square metres for commercial investment.

 

Mattar Mohammed Al Tayer, Director-General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA, said the opening of Route 2020 for the public comes following the successful completion of four operational tests and trials that included the static test of metro carriages and systems, the test of the rolling stock without passengers, the operational trial to check the system reliability and stability and the operational trials carried out by the operator of the metro service to verify the readiness before the start of the commercial service.

 

"The first journey on Route 2020 will start from Jebel Ali Station to Al Furjan Station and back, taking about six minutes to cover the distance. The service frequency (headway) will be 10 minutes at a rate of six trains per hour. The route can serve 4,176 riders per hour per direction," explained Al Tayer.

 

Journeys will start at 5am and end at midnight from Saturday to Wednesday. On Thursday, the first journey will start at 5am and the last journey will start at 1am, (of the following day). On Friday, the first journey will start at 10am and the last one at 1am (of the following day). 

 

"19 buses on four routes will serve Route 2020 stations to ease the mobility of riders from and to each station. Two of these routes will call at The Gardens Station, and the other two at Al Furjan Station. The taxi service will be available at the operating stations," he added.

 

According to him, Route 2020 has the capacity for 46,000 riders per hour in both directions (23,000 riders per hour per direction). 

 

RTA’s studies anticipate the number of riders using Route 2020 to reach 125,000 riders per day in 2021 and increase to 275,000 riders per day by 2030. 

 

Studies also reveal that Expo Station is expected to serve about 35,000 daily visitors of Expo during weekdays, and the number to increase to 47,000 daily visitors during weekends. This number accounts for 29 percent of the total expected number of daily visitors to Expo, he added.