The Dubai Metro Blue Line is a 30 km (18.6 mi) rail line under construction in Dubai, set to open on 9 September 2029. It will link the existing Red and Green Lines through 14 stations, connect nine districts in the city's north and east, and give around one million future residents direct rail access to Dubai International Airport in about 20 minutes.
This page tracks the route, the stations, and the live construction progress in one place, updated as RTA publishes new figures.
Quick Facts About Blue Metro Line Dubai
Targeting 30% by end of 2026
Figure awaiting RTA confirmation
Metro Blue line Background
The Blue Line will be Dubai's third metro line, after the Red and Green Lines. RTA's stated purpose is to expand public transport capacity as the city grows, specifically reaching districts that currently have no direct rail access, including Mirdif, Al Warqa, Dubai Silicon Oasis, Academic City, and the area around Dubai Creek Harbour.
The project has a longer history than its 2029 opening date suggests. An earlier version of this line was originally planned to run between Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport along the E311 road, targeting completion by 2012, but the 2008 financial crisis delayed it indefinitely. The Blue Line as it exists today is a 2023 redesign with a different route and purpose, approved by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on 24 November 2023.
Four international consortia competed for the construction contract:
- Limak Holding, Mapa Group, and CRRC (the eventual winner)
- China Tiesiju Civil Engineering, Arab Contractors, Binladin Contracting, and CAF
- Larsen & Toubro, PowerChina, Wade Adams, and Hitachi
- FCC, China State Construction Engineering, and Alstom
RTA awarded the contract to Limak, Mapa, and CRRC at AED 20.5 billion, above the original AED 18 billion estimate, reflecting the finalized engineering scope.
Longer term, the Blue Line is also planned to connect with the UAE's national Etihad Rail network, linking Dubai's metro to inter-emirate freight and passenger rail rather than just its own existing lines.
Dubai Metro Blue Line Construction Progress
- Progress
- 25% complete Groundbreaking June 2025 · 1,104 days to opening
- Next target
- 30% by end of 2026 RTA's stated interim milestone
- Opening
- 9 September 2029 Target date: full passenger service
Project timeline
Progress snapshot: 25% complete. RTA is targeting 30% completion by the end of 2026 and a full opening on 9 September 2029. This section updates automatically as new milestones are confirmed; check the date stamp above before citing a figure.
Dubai Metro Blue Line Route
The Blue Line runs as two branches that converge into a single corridor.
| Attribute | Route 1 | Route 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 21 km | 9 km |
| Stations | 10 (RTA-confirmed) | Remaining 4 of the 14-station total |
| Starts at | Creek (Green Line interchange), Al Jaddaf | Centrepoint (Red Line interchange), Al Rashidiya |
| Passes through | Dubai Festival City, Dubai Creek Harbour, Ras Al Khor, International City (1, 2 & 3), Dubai Silicon Oasis | Mirdif, Al Warqa |
| Ends at | Academic City | Joins Route 1's corridor at International City (1) |
Interchanges
- Creek: connects to the Green Line
- Centrepoint: connects to the Red Line
- International City (1): connects Route 1 and Route 2
How the Junction Works
International City (1) is built as a Y-junction rather than a simple transfer stop, so most riders won't need to change trains there. Trains are planned to run directly between Academic City and Creek (about 25 minutes) and between Academic City and Centrepoint (about 17 minutes). The junction mainly matters for the smaller number of cross-branch trips.
Elevated vs. Underground
Nine of the 14 stations will be elevated, five underground. 12 station locations are named below; RTA and Wikipedia both note that two further stations are planned but haven't been individually detailed in public announcements yet.
Dubai Metro Blue Line Stations
Creek (Al Jaddaf)
The starting point of Route 1 and the interchange with the Green Line. Al Jaddaf is a waterfront district in northern Dubai. Riders transferring here get a direct switch between the Blue and Green Lines without leaving the paid zone.
Dubai Festival City
Located on Route 1, this station serves an area of roughly 77,000 residents built around one of Dubai's larger shopping and dining destinations. It also reduces reliance on the abra (water taxi) service that currently connects the mall to Al Jaddaf Marine Station.
Dubai Creek Harbour (Emaar Properties Station)
This is the Blue Line's landmark stop. It's planned as a 74-metre-tall station designed by SOM (the architecture firm behind the Burj Khalifa) and is described in multiple reports as set to become the tallest metro station in the world once built. Coverage of the project describes an approximately 11,000 sq m station designed to handle up to 160,000 passengers, with daily use expected to exceed 70,000 once operational. The station is reportedly named "Emaar Properties Station" for at least its first 10 years of operation. A 1.3 km viaduct will carry the line across Dubai Creek at this point, the first time a Dubai Metro line has crossed the Creek.
Ras Al Khor
Sitting on Route 1 between Dubai Creek Harbour and International City, this station serves the Ras Al Khor area, best known for its wildlife sanctuary and flamingo population.
International City (1, 2 & 3)
Three stations serve International City, home to Dragon Mart and visited by over 200,000 people. International City (1) is the underground interchange where Route 1 and Route 2 meet. Construction updates from RTA have specifically named this cluster: deep foundation and excavation work here has been among the most advanced on the whole project.
Dubai Silicon Oasis
Part of Route 1, this station serves a technology and innovation hub central to the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, aimed at supporting the emirate's knowledge economy.
Academic City
The end of Route 1. Academic City is a university district spanning a large campus area, home to institutions including Heriot-Watt University, Middlesex University, and the University of Wollongong in Dubai, with tens of thousands of students expected in the area by 2029.
Centrepoint (Al Rashidiya)
The start of Route 2 and the interchange with the Red Line, currently the final stop on that line. The surrounding community is referred to as Al Rashidiya, and this station is one of a small number on the network with a free car park.
Mirdif
On Route 2, Mirdif is a residential community home to Al Mushrif Park and Mirdif City Centre mall, an area that has lacked a direct rail connection until now.
Al Warqa
The end of Route 2. Al Warqa is a residential district of roughly 60,000 people, also home to Dubai Safari Park.
Why the Blue Line Matters
| Impact | What it means |
|---|---|
| Property values | RTA expects land values near stations to rise by up to 25%, based on the pattern seen around the existing Red and Green Lines |
| Traffic | A 20% reduction in congestion is projected along the corridors the line serves |
| Airport access | Direct link from nine key areas to Dubai International Airport in roughly 20 minutes; whether this uses the existing Terminal 1/3 stations or a new one isn't confirmed yet |
| Population growth | Built to serve districts expected to house close to one million residents under the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan |
| Network scale | Dubai's combined metro and tram network grows from 101 km to 131 km, and total stations from 64 to 78 |
| National rail integration | Planned interchange with Etihad Rail, the UAE's national freight and passenger network, extending reach beyond Dubai's own metro system |
Engineering Highlights
- Tunnel-boring machine: "Al Wugeisha" is 163 metres long and weighs over 2,000 tonnes. It excavates 13–17 metres per day on average, peaking at 30 metres per day, close to double the ~12 metres per day pace of the original Dubai Metro's tunnelling in the 2000s.
- Dubai Creek crossing: A 1.3 km viaduct will carry the line over the Creek, the first time any Dubai Metro line has crossed it.
- Green building claim: Some coverage describes this as the first Dubai transport project built to green building specifications. This hasn't turned up in an RTA source directly, so verify before repeating it.
- Train technology: Expected to use the same driverless, automated system as the existing Red and Green Lines.