Dubai’s two airports to be connected by new 55km train line
Dubai has received six consultant proposals for the planned 55km Airport Express Line linking Dubai International Airport with Al Maktoum International Airport.
Airport Express plans cover five stations and two branch alignments connecting major commercial and residential districts. Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority(RTA) has not confirmed a construction timetable or opening date for the proposed rail corridor.
Six groups compete for design contract
AECOM with Surbana Jurong, AtkinsRéalis, Jacobs, Parsons with Arup, Systra with Egis and WSP submitted proposals for the consultancy package.
RTA issued the tender during 2026 for study and design services covering the Airport Express Line. An initial June submission deadline was later shifted to July 8.
Tender documents place the line between DXB in Al Garhoud and DWC in Dubai South. Procurement remains focused on engineering studies and design work rather than a construction award.
RTA has not disclosed a contract value for the consultancy package.
Airport Express procurement runs separately from plans to extend Route 2020 from Expo City towards DWC. That extension covers about three kilometres and two stations under the scope reported during 2026.
Route connects DXB with JVC and Dubai South
Planned alignment starts at the existing Red Line Metro station serving DXB in Al Garhoud. Services would pass through Al Jaddaf before following the Al Khail Road corridor towards Jumeirah Village Circle.
Trains would continue from JVC towards Al Maktoum International Airport.
One branch would connect JVC with Al Fardan Exchange Metro Station near Emirates Golf Club. Another branch would run towards Business Bay, where a station forms part of the proposed alignment.
JVC also sits on Dubai Metro’s approved Gold Line, creating another interchange point within Dubai’s expanding rail network.
Gold Line plans cover 42 kilometres and 18 stations with investment of about $9.3 billion (AED34 billion). RTA has scheduled its inauguration for September 9 2032. Business Bay and JVC both form part of that alignment.
Stations add airport passenger processing
Airport Express station plans include remote airline check-in, baggage drop services and security screening facilities.
Those specifications place aviation processing within the rail journey rather than limiting stations to passenger boarding and interchange functions. Procurement documents include these facilities within the proposed passenger service scope.
RTA is expanding rail capacity as Metro passenger volumes continue to rise. Dubai Metro carried 295 million passengers during 2025, representing annual growth of 7 per cent.
Daily Metro usage averaged about one million passengers during the year. Metro services accounted for 40 per cent of public transport use across Dubai.
Blue Line construction provides another 30 kilometres of network capacity through 14 stations. RTA records construction progress at 10 per cent and expects completion to reach 30 per cent by the end of 2026.
Rail capacity aligns with DWC expansion
Dubai Airports recorded 95.2 million passengers at DXB during 2025, its highest annual traffic total. DXB currently connects passengers with 291 destinations through 108 international carriers.
DWC development carries an investment of $35 billion (AED128 billion), according to current Dubai Airports project information. Planned capacity reaches 150 million passengers annually during the next decade and ultimately exceeds 260 million.
Cargo capacity will reach 12 million tonnes annually at full development.
Dubai’s June 2026 airport development update specifies five parallel runways, two passenger terminals and seven concourses. More than 430 connected aircraft stands form part of the final configuration.
Current works cover packages for the Western Passenger Terminal, aircraft concourses, baggage handling infrastructure and an automated passenger transport system.
Airport plans also incorporate multimodal connections across air, rail and road networks, placing new rail capacity directly within DWC’s long-term transport requirements.
RTA has not announced a construction contract, final project cost or service launch date for the Airport Express Line.
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