Expansion of Dubai's urban rail network accelerates with the groundbreaking of the Blue Line and the approval of the Gold Line
Strengthening metropolitan transportation demand management through the Salik variable rate system and the expansion of DARB tollgates
Incoming population, worrying traffic congestion
As Dubai grows into a leading international city in the Middle East and a tourism and business hub, the demand for movement within the city is rapidly increasing. According to the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), Dubai is projected to attract 1,959 million international overnight tourists in 2025, marking an all-time high and a 5.0% increase from the previous year. Across the UAE as a whole, the tourism industry is establishing itself as a major non-oil industry, accounting for 13.0% of GDP in 2024.
With the increase in tourists, the resident population, and commuting demand expanding, traffic congestion in major business and tourism areas such as Dubai Marina, Downtown Dubai, and Business Bay is emerging as a key challenge for urban operations. In particular, traffic congestion on access roads to the city center and major arterial roads is recurring during rush hours, and the need for an integrated transportation policy that manages both urban rail and road traffic is growing due to the expansion of suburban residential areas. Accordingly, Dubai is investing in demand-management transportation infrastructure—including not only road expansion but also the expansion of metro lines, smart toll systems, and increased public transportation ridership—in parallel with road widening.
First Step Toward Alleviating Traffic Congestion: Expansion of Dubai Metro Network
Dubai is accelerating the expansion of its urban rail network to alleviate traffic congestion and increase public transportation ridership. While the Dubai Metro has primarily connected the city center with major residential and business districts via the existing Red and Green Lines, demand for new lines has been continuously raised due to urban expansion and the increase in development areas on the outskirts. In response, the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is complementing the connectivity of the existing network through the Blue Line and is pursuing long-term urban rail network expansion via the recently approved Gold Line.
The Blue Line is currently the most concrete Dubai Metro expansion project. Planned to span a total of 30 km with 14 stations, the line will connect residential, business, and development areas such as Dubai Creek Harbour, Dubai Festival City, International City, Dubai Silicon Oasis, and Academic City. In particular, it is expected to contribute to dispersing commuter demand from outlying areas to the city center and improving public transportation accessibility in major development areas through transfer connections with the existing Red Line and Green Line.
The Gold Line is regarded as a long-term project that will expand the Dubai Metro network to the next level. According to the Dubai Media Office, upon completion of the Gold Line, the Dubai Metro network—including the Blue Line—will expand from 120 km to 162 km, and the number of stations will increase from 67 to 85. This can be seen as a strategy to extend the urban rail network from its existing city-centered structure to new development axes and suburban living areas. It is analyzed that through this, Dubai aims to shift some of the road-centric travel demand to public transportation and, in the long term, strengthen the public transportation infrastructure capable of responding to urban growth.
In addition to expanding the urban railway, the UAE is considering linking its regional road network with public transportation. According to MEED data, the 4th Federal Expressway project spans 68 km and includes BRT, dedicated lanes, and integration with the Dubai Metro to meet commuting demand between Dubai, Sharjah, and Ajman.
Dubai Metro and Rail Lines
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Existing Dubai Metro operating lines |
Dubai Railway Network 2032 Plan |
[Source: RTA, Time Out Dubai]
Dubai plans to strengthen connectivity between the city center and suburban development areas by expanding its existing metro network, centered on the Red and Green Lines, with new lines such as the Blue and Gold Lines. The 2032 Rail Network Plan includes the possibility of connecting not only with existing urban rail but also with Etihad Rail and high-speed rail, demonstrating the potential for Dubai's transportation infrastructure to expand beyond intra-city transport into a wide-area transportation network in the long term.
Salik Variable pricing system, digital transformation of road traffic demand management
While the expansion of the urban rail network is a long-term measure to disperse traffic demand, Salik is a smart toll system that directly manages traffic volume on the roads. When a vehicle passes through a toll gate without stopping, the toll is automatically charged through tag and license plate recognition, and it plays a role in regulating demand in specific sections while maintaining traffic flow.
Dubai expanded the number of Salik gates to 10 in 2024 with the addition of new gates at Business Bay Crossing and Al Safa South, and introduced a variable fare system at all gates starting January 2025. During the standard period, from Monday to Saturday, the fare is 6 dirhams during peak hours (6:00 AM to 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM), 4 dirhams during off-peak hours, and free during late-night hours. During Ramadan, Salik applies separate fare zones in accordance with changes in work and school operating hours, demonstrating a flexible operational approach based on traffic patterns.
In 2026, the effects of these operational advancements are also being confirmed in performance results. According to the Dubai Media Office, Salik’s revenue in 2025 was 31 billion dirhams (approx. 1.24 trillion won), a 35.1% increase from the previous year, and net profit was 1.55 billion dirhams (approx. 62 million won), a 33.4% increase. This can be attributed to the combined effects of new gate operations, the introduction of variable fare systems, and increased traffic volume in Dubai.
Salik is expanding its scope beyond tolls into mobility payment services. In collaboration with Valtrans, a provider of valet parking, parking facility management, and traffic management services in the UAE, Salik plans to introduce a digital valet parking payment service starting in June 2026. This demonstrates a trend where the road toll-centric system is expanding into payment services related to vehicle usage, such as parking and valet services. If Salik expands into a platform connecting mobility-related services—including road tolls, parking, and valet payments—in the future, it has the potential to link with the demand for ICT-based transportation solutions, such as smart tolling, license plate recognition, traffic data analysis, and smart parking.
Abu Dhabi also manages traffic demand during rush hour through the DARB tollgate system. Recently, new DARB gates are scheduled to be added in the Ghantoot and Al Qurm regions; Ghantoot, in particular, is significant in terms of managing regional mobility demand as it is located on the E11 road axis connecting Dubai and Abu Dhabi. This demonstrates that major cities in the UAE are moving toward dispersing and managing traffic volume by utilizing tolls, operating hours, and location selection, rather than simply expanding roads.
Ultimately, Dubai's transportation policy is unfolding as a dual strategy: reducing reliance on vehicles in the long term through the expansion of the metro network, and dispersing road traffic volume in the short term through the Salik variable toll system. Considering the expansion of Dab in Abu Dhabi as well, transportation policies in major UAE cities are shifting from a focus on road construction to one centered on smart tolling and data-driven demand management.
implication
The UAE's transportation infrastructure policy is shifting from a focus on simple road expansion to the expansion of urban rail and data-driven traffic demand management. Dubai is pursuing a strategy to expand its public transportation network in the long term through the Blue Line and Gold Line, while simultaneously dispersing road traffic in the short term via the Salik variable fare system and the operation of new gates.
These changes could lead to demand for ICT-based transportation solutions not only in the railway rolling stock and civil engineering sectors but also in areas such as railway communication networks, in-station CCTV and security systems, passenger information systems, automated fare collection, license plate recognition, traffic data analysis, and smart parking. Korean companies need to examine the potential for entering these related fields, leveraging their experience in urban railways, highway toll collection (Hi-Pass), Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), and smart city implementation.
However, since UAE transportation infrastructure projects often involve the joint participation of government agencies, major local construction companies, and global engineering firms, securing local partnerships is crucial. Relevant companies need to review the project trends of key contracting authorities, vendor registration requirements, and maintenance response capabilities.