The Dubai Metro Gold Line Project is a planned urban rail infrastructure development being overseen by Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). The project has an estimated value of $5.5 billion, and Aecom has been appointed as the lead consultant following a competitive tender process. The US-headquartered firm submitted the lowest-priced bid of AED 628 million ($171 million) for the consultancy contract, which was submitted in June.

The consultancy appointment covers five defined stages of work. These include concept design, preliminary design, preparation of tender documentation, consultancy support during the construction phase, and services during the defects and liability period. Other firms that submitted bids for the consultancy scope included Mott MacDonald, Parsons, and AtkinsRealis, with higher-priced offers submitted for the same scope of services.

In parallel, Dubai’s Union Properties has unveiled the US$545 million Mirdad Residential Campus in Motor City, reinforcing the city’s broader infrastructure expansion alongside its transport network upgrades. The Gold Line will start at Al-Ghubaiba in Bur Dubai, while the Blue Line consists of 14 stations, including three interchange stations at Al-Jaddaf, Al-Rashidiya and International City 1. Furthermore, it includes the iconic station in Dubai Creek Harbour. The Dubai Metro gold line will also compliment the Dubai Metro blue line project which has achieved a 10% completion milestone.

Other than the Dubai Metro Gold Line, the Al-Maktoum metro link is also taking shape as the project has been tendered. Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) has invited consultants to bid on the Al-Maktoum Airport metro link project, Route 2020. The scope of implementation entails the extension of the route. The extended line will start from the Expo 2020 metro station. On the other hand, it will connect with the Al-Maktoum international airport’s West Terminal. The extension to the line will run for about 3 kilometers (km) and will feature 2 metro stations.

Reports note that the notice was issued in January with a bid submission deadline of mid-March. The existing Route 2020 metro link is a 15km-long line branching of the existing Red Line at the Jebel Ali metro station. The line comprises 11.8km of elevated tracks, 3.2km of tunnels, with five elevated stations and two underground stations.

Project Factsheet

Significance:

• Significant $5.5 billion expansion of the metro system in Dubai to boost urban mobility and connectivity.
• Intended to ease congestion on the current Red Line by providing an alternative route across major commercial and residential areas.
• The line will start at Al-Ghubaiba in Bur Dubai and run through Business Bay, Meydan, Global Village, and Dubailand.
• Part of the larger Dubai strategy to increase public transport infrastructure as per the city’s Vision 2040 strategy.

Infrastructure:

• The project consists of five major phases: concept design, preliminary design, tender document preparation, construction, and defects/liability period.
• Will incorporate advanced signaling, computerized control systems, and eco-friendly metro technology.
• The Gold Line will be interlinked with other existing metro lines, providing seamless travel throughout the city.
• Developed to accommodate growing passenger demand and reduce road congestion in high-density areas.

Developer/Consortium:

• Overseen by Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
• Aecom, a US-based engineering and consultancy firm, was selected as the main consultant after submitting the lowest bid at AED628 million ($171 million).
• Competing bidders included Mott MacDonald (UK), Parsons (US), and AtkinsRealis (Canada).
• The project complements Dubai’s broader metro expansion strategy alongside the AED20.5 billion Blue Line project led by Limak Holding, Mapa Group, and CRRC.

Funding/Timeline:

• Total estimated project cost: $5.5 billion.
• Consultancy contract awarded in June 2024, with design and preparatory phases currently underway.
• Construction to follow after tendering and design approvals, with phased implementation expected through the late 2020s.
• Supports Dubai’s sustainable transportation targets and long-term urban development objectives.

Significance of the Dubai Metro Gold Line Project

Once complete, the Dubai Metro Gold Line will start at Al-Ghubaiba in Bur Dubai. It will run parallel and alleviate pressure on the existing Red Line. This is before heading inland to Business Bay, Meydan, Global Village and residential developments in Dubailand. Other than the Gold Line, Dubai is also making advances on the significant Blue Line project. In June, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Vice‑President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, attended the foundation‑stone laying ceremony for the Dubai Metro Blue Line. The contract to build and supply equipment for the Blue Line was awarded in December last year. Moreover, the RTA awarded AED20.5bn main contract to a consortium of Turkiye’s Limak Holding and two other firms. These include Mapa Group and the Hong Kong office of China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation.