Extended Expo 2020 metro line project is on schedule

A 15km extension of the Dubai Metro red line is being carried out to serve millions of visitors to Expo 2020 Dubai

The red line of the Dubai Metro is being extended by 15km to serve millions of visitors to Expo 2020 Dubai. Pictured is a new station in Discovery Gardens. Courtesy: RTA
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An expanded metro line that will connect travellers to the Expo 2020 Dubai site is right on track for completion.

The 15km extension of the red line, from Nakheel Harbour and Tower Station, will be key to serving the 25 million visitors expected to flock to the emirate during the six-month run of the global exhibition, which will open in October 2020.

The Dubai Roads and Transport Authority has announced that 80 per cent of the rail track work is now completed, with between 50 to 60 per cent of station works also already finished for the Route 2020 project.

Mattar Al Tayer, director general of RTA, provided the progress update during an inspection tour of several stations, including the under construction Expo station, Al Furjan and Nakheel Harbour and Tower Stations.

The Expo Station will welcome millions of commuters as the main transport link to the Expo site, located near Al Maktoum International Airport.

The station, which is now more than 50 per cent constructed, will have a capacity of 522,000 passengers per day - 29,000 each hour in both directions.

Work is underway on the installation of the winged metal structure of the station and more than 30 per cent of electromechanical works have been done.

Mr Al Tayer also inspected the work progress of Al Furjan station, which will be part of the extended red line, where external cladding works have been completed. The metal structure and roof cladding has also been finished.

The new fleet of metro carriages that will be used to ferry passengers to the Expo 2020 Dubai have been arriving in the emirate since last August.

All rail works of Route 2020 are scheduled for completion by May, 2019.

RTA will start the test-run of the metro in February, 2020.