Bur Dubai to Jumeirah Golf Estates, entirely underground, on a line that until recently existed only in planners’ renders. Dubai’s Gold Line is the kind of project that sounds like a concept until the tenders start moving — and this month, they moved.
Contractors were due to submit their prequalification statements to the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) on 7 September, the clearest sign yet that the emirate’s largest-ever transport project is shifting from blueprint to build. So here is everything officially confirmed so far about the line that will redraw how a million and a half people move around Dubai.
Quick answer: The Dubai Metro Gold Line is a 42 km, fully underground metro line approved by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid on 22 April 2026. It will run from Al Ghubaiba in Old Dubai to Jumeirah Golf Estates through 15 strategic areas, with 18 stations, at a cost of about AED 34 billion. It is scheduled to open on 9 September 2032. Prequalification statements for the main construction contract were due on 7 September 2026, with the contract award expected in 2027.
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What is the Dubai Metro Gold Line?
The Gold Line is the fourth line of the Dubai Metro — and a first in more ways than one. It will be the emirate’s first fully underground metro line, running as deep as 40 metres below street level, with a tunnel network that, once built, will be roughly twice the length of the entire existing Metro tunnel system.
It is also the largest transport project in Dubai’s history. The investment is around AED 34 billion, and RTA says the line is scheduled for delivery about 30 per cent faster than the Blue Line currently under construction.
The symbolism of the date is hard to miss: 9 September 2032 is exactly 23 years to the day after the Dubai Metro first opened in 2009.
Update: the Gold Line moves to procurement
The project took its latest concrete step on 7 September 2026, when contracting groups were due to hand in their prequalification statements for the main design-and-build contract, following RTA’s request for qualification issued in June.
According to RTA’s published programme, tenders are being called during 2026, the construction contract will be awarded in 2027, and construction will follow. Nothing has been dug yet — but the machinery of procurement, which took years on previous lines, is moving noticeably faster this time.
A word of caution while we are here: several websites already publish “complete lists” of Gold Line station names. RTA has not released an official station-by-station list. The 18 stations are confirmed; their names are not.
The confirmed route: Al Ghubaiba to Jumeirah Golf Estates
The line starts at Al Ghubaiba in the heart of Old Dubai and ends at Jumeirah Golf Estates, bridging the historic centre with the city’s newer western districts. Along the way, it will serve 15 strategic locations — official announcements and major media coverage have named these key areas:
| # | Area / district |
|---|---|
| 1 | Al Ghubaiba |
| 2 | Mina Rashid |
| 3 | City Walk |
| 4 | Business Bay |
| 5 | Mohammed Bin Rashid City |
| 6 | Nad Al Sheba |
| 7 | Mohammed bin Rashid Gardens |
| 8 | Meydan |
| 9 | Al Barsha South |
| 10 | Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC) |
| 11 | Jumeirah Golf Estates |
The route threads through Bur Dubai and Al Satwa before swinging through the central business district and out towards the residential growth hubs of the southwest. Think of it as a spine connecting the Dubai of the creek with the Dubai of the next decade.
Interchanges: how the Gold Line connects
This is where the line earns its keep. The Gold Line will interchange with:
- The Green Line at Al Ghubaiba
- The Red Line at Business Bay and Jumeirah Golf Estates
- Etihad Rail at Meydan and Jumeirah Golf Estates — plugging the Metro directly into the UAE’s national rail network
That last point deserves a pause. Once Etihad Rail’s Dubai passenger station opens, a commuter will theoretically be able to step off a train from Abu Dhabi and continue across Dubai on the Gold Line without ever hailing a cab. RTA also expects the new line to relieve pressure on the Red Line between Burjuman and Onpassive stations by around 23 per cent.
Opening date, cost and the numbers that matter
| Detail | Figure |
|---|---|
| Approved | 22 April 2026, by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid |
| Investment | Around AED 34 billion |
| Length | 42 km |
| Stations | 18 |
| Depth | Up to 40 metres underground |
| Opening | 9 September 2032 |
| Daily ridership (beyond 2040) | Up to 465,000 passengers |
| Vehicle journeys removed | About 40 million per year |
| Economic return | Up to 430 per cent over 20 years, per RTA |
| Network growth | From 120 km to 162 km — a 35 per cent increase |
The ridership projection is the striking one — nearly half a million passengers a day on a single line.
Gold Line vs Blue Line: what is the difference?
The two names get tangled constantly, so here is the clean version.
| Feature | Gold Line | Blue Line |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Approved; prequalification underway | Under construction |
| Length | 42 km | 30 km |
| Stations | 18 | 14 |
| Configuration | Fully underground | Partly elevated, partly underground |
| Cost | About AED 34 billion | About AED 18 billion |
| Opening | 9 September 2032 | 9 September 2029 |
| Focus | Old Dubai to western residential districts | Eastern Dubai communities |
The Blue Line arrives first and serves communities in eastern Dubai; the Gold Line is bigger, deeper and stitches the historic west of the city to the new residential engine of the southwest. Dubai is effectively building both halves of its future network at once.
Which areas stand to benefit?
For residents, the immediate story is connectivity: JVC, Meydan and Al Barsha South — districts where commutes currently depend on cars — get direct Metro access. For the 55-plus major developments under construction along the route, the line amounts to a long-term bet on accessibility and value.
And for the city as a whole, RTA frames the Gold Line as an economic play: a 430 per cent projected return on the investment over two decades, and millions of car journeys taken off the roads each year.
What is confirmed — and what is still unclear
| Confirmed (official) | Not yet confirmed |
|---|---|
| Route, length, station count, cost, opening date | Official station names and locations |
| Interchanges with Red, Green lines and Etihad Rail | Final contractor (award expected 2027) |
| Prequalification submitted September 2026 | Exact construction start date |
| Ridership and economic projections | Fare integration details |
FAQ – Dubai Metro Gold Line
What is the Dubai Metro Gold Line?
The Gold Line is the fourth line of the Dubai Metro, approved on 22 April 2026. It is a 42 km, fully underground line with 18 stations running from Al Ghubaiba to Jumeirah Golf Estates, costing around AED 34 billion, and is scheduled to open on 9 September 2032.
When will the Dubai Metro Gold Line open?
The official opening date is 9 September 2032 — exactly 23 years after the Dubai Metro first launched in 2009. The construction contract is expected to be awarded in 2027.
What is the Gold Line route?
The line runs from Al Ghubaiba in Old Dubai, through areas including Mina Rashid, City Walk, Business Bay, Mohammed Bin Rashid City, Meydan, Al Barsha South and Jumeirah Village Circle, terminating at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
How many stations will the Gold Line have?
Eighteen stations across 15 strategic areas. The official station names have not yet been released by RTA, so treat any published station list as unofficial.
Is the Gold Line the same as the Blue Line?
No. The Blue Line is a 30 km, partly elevated line under construction that opens on 9 September 2029 and serves eastern Dubai communities. The Gold Line is the larger, fully underground line opening in 2032, running from Old Dubai to the western residential districts.
How much will the Gold Line cost?
The project investment is around AED 34 billion (about USD 9 billion) — the largest transport project in Dubai’s history.
Will the Gold Line connect to Etihad Rail?
Yes. Interchanges with the Etihad Rail passenger network are planned at Meydan and Jumeirah Golf Estates, linking the Metro to the UAE’s national rail system.
