Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority has officially confirmed the first two locations of the Dubai Loop, authorizing immediate work on a pilot tunnel linking the financial district to the city’s main retail and tourist hub. The move — unveiled by Mattar Al Tayer at the World Governments Summit — begins a high-speed underground transport programme developed with The Boring Company.
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RTA green-lights pilot corridor between major city hubs
The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has signed an agreement to begin implementation of the initial segment of the Dubai Loop. The pilot corridor will connect the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) area with the Dubai Mall precinct, cutting across central Dubai in a dedicated underground alignment. Officials say tunnelling will start immediately as part of the phased rollout.
Route plan, stations and daily capacity for the pilot phase
The pilot stretch measures roughly 6–6.5 kilometres and includes four stations: ICD Brookfield Place, a financial-district stop, a Zaabeel parking access point near Dubai Mall, and the Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall station. Authorities estimate the initial phase will handle about 13,000 passengers a day, with the full network eventually spanning some 24 kilometres.
Note on named stations: the principal stops named by officials are ICD Brookfield Place, Zaabeel Dubai Mall Parking station, and Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall station.
Partnership with The Boring Company and project scale
The project is being implemented in collaboration with The Boring Company, which will supply tunnelling expertise and the passenger-pod concept. RTA officials said the broader Dubai Loop alignment is planned to reach about 24 km and is funded as a multibillion-dirham programme. Mattar Al Tayer outlined estimated costs and timing when announcing the agreement at the summit.
Technical approach and vehicle concept for the tunnels
The system will run electric vehicles in sealed tunnel tubes rather than conventional rail. Media reports and RTA briefings describe the service as using small, automated EV pods — popularly reported as “Teslas in tunnels” — to provide rapid, point-to-point trips that complement the Dubai Metro and existing transit links. RTA says this approach shortens journeys and reduces surface congestion.
Financial, timeline and operational outlook announced by RTA
Project figures published by officials put the total investment in the roughly Dhs2.5 billion range for full build-out, with the pilot segment costing a proportion of that. RTA expects phased delivery and has committed to environmental assessments, traffic integration plans and passenger safety protocols as part of early works.
Public and stakeholder response, and next procedural steps
The announcement prompted immediate interest from investors and the public. Dubai authorities will follow standard permitting and coordination with stakeholders in the DIFC, retail and tourism sectors. Further technical details, including precise station designs and operational timelines, are due to be published by RTA.
