A unique connection has been established between Etihad Rail and the Dubai Metro, allowing passengers to combine trips on inter-emirate trains with the use of Dubai's Red Line network. Starting September 30th, Etihad Rail will begin operations from Dubai, and passengers arriving at the Dubai Al Yalayis station can transfer to the Red Line metro in the Jumeirah Golf Estates area. From this station, they can travel around the city to various destinations without using a private car.
Dubai residents can take the metro to Jumeirah Golf Estates and then transfer to Al Yalayis station to board a train heading to Abu Dhabi or Fujairah. A check conducted by Khaleej Times using Google Maps showed that these two stations are approximately 1 km apart.
Dedicated Pedestrian Walkway
This was recently announced by Mattar Al Tayyar, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Council of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) of Dubai. He confirmed that a special pedestrian bridge is being constructed to directly connect Al Yalayis with the Jumeirah Golf Estates metro station. Al Tayyar noted that the authority is working jointly with Etihad Rail to simplify the transfer process as the national railway integrates with the Dubai metro network.
When Khaleej Times visited the site previously, a long steel pedestrian structure leading from the Etihad Rail station to the underground metro station could be seen. At the time of the visit, work was ongoing on building the pedestrian crossing, station access zones, and landscaping.
Where Does the Metro Connection Lead for Passengers?
The Jumeirah Golf Estates station is located on the Dubai Metro Red Line, providing passengers transferring from Etihad Rail access to some of the city's most well-known business, tourist, and residential areas. From Jumeirah Golf Estates, passengers can move towards stations serving locations such as Dubai Marina, Dubai Internet City, Mall of the Emirates, Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall, Business Bay, Dubai World Trade Centre, and Dubai International Airport Terminals 1 and 3. In the opposite direction, the line continues towards Dubai Investment Park and Expo 2020.
Travel options extend beyond just the Red Line. At the Union and BurJuman stations, passengers can transfer to the Green Line, allowing them to reach areas like Gold Souq, Al Ghubaiba, Dubai Healthcare City, and Creek. Furthermore, from the Red Line, one can connect to the Dubai Tram, which serves areas including Dubai Marina, Jumeirah Beach Residence, Media City, and Al Sufouh, as well as the Palm Jumeirah tram stop. According to the RTA rail map, Metro-Tram interchange hubs are located at Sobha Realty and DMCC.
Thus, for someone arriving in Dubai via Etihad Rail, the journey does not necessarily end at Al Yalayis. After transferring at Jumeirah Golf Estates, they can continue traveling across much of the city by train, avoiding the need for a private car.
Station Designed for High Passenger Flow
Jumeirah Golf Estates is not just a small metro stop in a quiet area. When RTA opened it in September 2021, the authority described it as the largest underground station in the Dubai Metro network. The station covers an area of 28,700 square meters and is designed to handle 11,555 passengers per hour during peak times and about 250,000 passengers daily. It is also equipped with four bus stops, 20 taxi stands, 400 public parking spaces, and 20 accessible spots for people with disabilities.
More Integration in the Future
The physical metro connection is part of a broader plan to ensure seamless journeys on Etihad Rail from start to finish. Etihad Rail is working on ways to allow passengers to plan routes combining the national railway with the metro, buses, taxis, ride-hailing services, and other first and last-mile transport modes. Ultimately, this could lead to fewer individual steps when planning and undertaking journeys across different transport networks.
Integration may also affect ticketing. In 2024, RTA and Etihad Rail signed an agreement whereby RTA will develop solutions for purchasing tickets and paying fares through its nol system. This agreement was presented as the first step in a joint venture between the two entities. The announcement did not specify a concrete date for implementing nol payments on Etihad Rail.
