Dubai Tram Explained

Dubai Tram
Native Name:ترام دبي
Imagesize2:250px
Transit Type:Tram
Locale:Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Start:Dubai Marina
End:Al Sufouh
Stations:11
(19 planned)[1]
Began Operation:11 November 2014
Owner:Roads and Transport Authority
Stock:Alstom Citadis 402
System Length:10.6km (06.6miles)
(14.5km (09miles) total planned)
Notrack:2
El:750 V DC ground-level power supply
(750 V DC overhead line on depot area)
Average Speed:20km/h
Top Speed:50km/h
Map Name:System map
Map State:show
Operator:Keolis.MHI
Website:https://www.rta.ae

The Dubai Tram (Arabic: ترام دبي) is a tramway located in Al Sufouh, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It runs for 14.5km (09miles) along Al Sufouh Road from Dubai Marina to the Palm Jumeirah and Al Sufouh. The tram connects with the DMCC and Sobha Realty stations of the Dubai Metro's Red Line, and two more stations are expected to connect with the tram in the future. The Dubai Tram is also connected with the monorail of the Palm Jumeirah at the entrance of the Palm from Sufouh Road.[1]

The first section, a 10.6adj=onNaNadj=on long tram line which serves 11 stations, was ceremonially inaugurated on 11 November 2014, by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, with the line officially opening for public service at 6:30 am (UTC 04:30) on 12 November 2014.[2]

The Dubai Tram is the fourth tramway project in the world after the Bordeaux tramway in 2003, and the Reims and Angers tramways in 2011, to be powered by the Alstom APS ground-based electric supply system.[3]

Construction

The planning and construction of the Dubai Tram was undertaken by a consortium of Alstom, Besix and Parsons.[4] [5] [6] [7]

Construction has been divided into two phases: Phase 1, was expected to be open in April 2011, however it was delayed until November 2014. Upon completion, Phase 1 of the tramline will operate 11 trams, serving 11 stations, covering 10.6km (06.6miles) of route. The Phase 1 will cost AED 3.18 Billion.[1] Some 9.5km (05.9miles) of the Dubai Tram project will be built as part of the first Phase 1.[1] Phase 2 will add 14 more trams and eight more stations along an additional 4km (02miles) of route.

As of 10 October 2010, the construction work on Dubai Tramway had progressed according to the scheduled completion of 2014.[8] However the project was put on hold a month later due to lack of finances. The construction of the tramway was resumed in January, 2011 with 30% of Phase 1 having been completed.[9] In mid-2014, the tramline entered the testing phase, and it began operation in November 2014.[10] [11] [12]

Route

CodeStation NameNotes
EnglishArabic
1Jumeriah Beach Residence 1أبراج شاطئ الجميرا 1
2Jumeriah Beach Residence 2أبراج شاطئ الجميرا 2
3Jumeriah Lakes Towersأبراج بحيرات الجميراInterchange with DMCC Station of Red Line (Dubai Metro)
4Dubai Marina Mallدبي مارينا مول
5Dubai Marinaدبي مارينا Interchange with Sobha Realty Station of Red Line (Dubai Metro)
6Marina Towersأبراج المارينا
7Mina Seyahiالميناء السياحي
8Media Cityمدينة دبي للإعلام
9Palm Jumeriahنخلة جميراInterchange with Palm Gateway Station of Palm Monorail
10Knowledge Villageقرية المعرفة
11Al Sufouhالصفوح

Operations

The Dubai Tram is operated by Keolis.MHI under contract to the Dubai Roads & Transport Authority.[13] [14] [15]

There are over 80 certified drivers for the tram. To ensure the safety of the tram and the passengers, every driver is required to take (and pass) an alcohol test before driving the tram. The trams also have a dead man's switch, which the drivers are required to press every three to five seconds, failing which the tram will come to a halt.[16]

Hours of operation and frequency

The Dubai Tram operates from 06:30 until 01:00 except on Fridays when it operates from 09:00 until 01:00.[17]

Fares

The tram has a fixed fare of AED 3 per trip regardless of the distance travelled, making it one of the cheapest fares for trams, compared to other cities. The fare for passengers using the Red Nol Ticket will be AED 4 (US$1.09) per ride.[18]

A Nol Card can be used by passengers to check-in and check-out of the tram by scanning the card at the platform screen doors.

Statistics
20142015 to June
Lines22
Kilometres9.59.5
Stations1111
Trips (Total)
Passengers (Total)531,000[19] 1,854,055[20]

Rolling stock

The Dubai Tram use 11 Alstom Citadis 402 trams for Phase 1.[21] The trams are 44m (144feet) long with a capacity of 408 passengers. Maximum speed is 50km/h, giving an average operational speed of 20km/h.

The trams use the Alimentation par le Sol II (APS II) ground-level power supply, and so do not need overhead cables. This method was first used in Bordeaux, France. The Dubai Tram is the world's first tram network to use platform screen doors at the stations, as well as a new Supervised Vehicle Operation (SVO) mode that will ensure accurate station stop and safety during passenger transfer.[4] [5] [6] [7] The trams have Gold (first) and silver classes, and space dedicated to women and children.[1]

The first tram was presented to Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Road & Transport Authority, at Alstom's La Rochelle factory on 14 June 2013.[22]

Incidents and accidents

Linking with other networks

The Dubai Tram has 2 stations that are interconnected to 2 Dubai Metro stations:

It is also interconnected to the Palm Monorail:

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Dubai's first tram project taking shape in Al Sufouh. Ashfaq Ahmed. Gulf News . 27 January 2009.
  2. News: Mohammad to flag off Dubai Tram . Gulf News . Al Nisr Publishing LLC . 10 November 2014 . 12 November 2014.
  3. News: Staff Report . 10 facts you should know about the Dubai tram . Khaleej Times . 18 January 2016 . 3 July 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150703035752/http://www.khaleejtimes.com/kt-article-display-1.asp?xfile=data%2Ftransport%2F2014%2FApril%2Ftransport_April19.xml&section=transport . dead .
  4. Al Safouh tram project consortium selected . . 29 April 2008 . 3 May 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20091107235128/http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/al-safouh-tram-project-consortium-selected.html . 7 November 2009 .
  5. News: Smooth ride for Jumeirah residents . . 30 April 2008 . 3 May 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080504063545/http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/08/04/30/10209520.html . 4 May 2008 . dead .
  6. "Tram will be ride on time" virobel.com. Retrieved 03 August 2024.
  7. Web site: H.H Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid approves the design of the AED 4b Al Safooh Tram project . Dubai & Roads and Transport Authority . 29 April 2008 . 3 May 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090226223613/http://www.rta.ae/wpsv5/wps/portal/!ut/p/kcxml/04_Sj9SPykssy0xPLMnMz0vM0Y_QjzKLN4g3NjEGSUGYRvqRaGKOCJEgfW99X4_83FT9AP2C3NCIckdHRQA1RSz5/delta/base64xml/L3dJdyEvd0ZNQUFzQUMvNElVRS82XzBfMzRI?contenttype=latest&contname=H.H%20Sheikh%20Mohammed%20bin%20Rashid%20approves%20the%20design%20of%20the%20AED%204b%20Al%20Safooh%20Tram%20project . 26 February 2009 . dead .
  8. News: RTA says all public transport expansion projects on track. Ashfaq Ahmed. Gulf News . 10 October 2010.
  9. Web site: Dubai RTA - Al Sufouh Tram Project. 21 May 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121019205735/http://www.zawya.com/projects/project.cfm/pid040707010000?cc . 19 October 2012. Zawya.
  10. News: Dubai tram project still strangled by liquidity woes. Arabian Business. Elizabeth Broomhall. 4 January 2012 .
  11. News: Contractor says Dubai tram will meet 2014 deadline. Elizabeth Broomhall . 26 February 2012. Construction Week Online.
  12. Web site: samreenh . Dubai's Al Sufouh Tram project testing to begin . En-maktoob.news.yahoo.com . 22 January 2014. 18 January 2016.
  13. Web site: Serco signs Dubai Tram operation contract . Serco.com . 18 January 2016 . 27 March 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150327174748/http://serco.com/media/internationalnews/dubaiTramOperation.asp . dead .
  14. Web site: Dubai Metro operator to run Al Sufouh tram . Gulf News . 15 September 2013. 18 January 2016.
  15. https://web.archive.org/web/20190404122758/https://www.metro-report.com/news/news-by-region/middle-east-africa/single-view/view/serco-signs-dubai-metro-contract-extension.html Serco signs Dubai metro contract extension
  16. Web site: Faisal. Masudi . Ahead of its time: Dubai Tram system second to none . Gulf News . 26 July 2015. 18 January 2016.
  17. https://www.dubai-marina.com/dubai-tram/#:~:text=The%20Dubai%20Tram%20runs%20from,at%201%20AM%20as%20usual). Working Hours
  18. Web site: Shafaat. Shahbandari. Ride the Dubai Tram for Dh3 . Gulf News . 3 November 2014. 18 January 2016.
  19. Web site: Revealed: How many passengers used Dubai Metro in 2014. ae.b2.mk. 13 May 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150518092247/http://ae.b2.mk/news/revealed-how-many-passengers-used-dubai-metro-in-2014?newsid=ODL. 18 May 2015. dead.
  20. News: Wam . 88m use Dubai Metro, 2m use Tram in H1 2015 . Khaleej Times . 18 January 2016.
  21. Al Sufouh tram styling suits Dubai scene. Railway Gazette International. 17 November 2009. 30 November 2009. 20 November 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20091120063526/http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/10/al-sufouh-tram-styling-suits-dubai-scene.html. dead.
  22. Alstom reveals Dubai's first Al Sufouh tram. 17 June 2013. Railway Gazette International.
  23. Web site: Staff Reporter. Car hits tram after jumping red light . Gulf News . 2 October 2014. 18 January 2016.
  24. Web site: Staff Reporter. Dubai tram-car smashup disrupts JBR traffic . Gulf News . 18 December 2014. 18 January 2016.
  25. Web site: Dubai Tram crash: How did it happen? - Emirates 24|7 . Emirates247.com . 18 December 2014. 18 January 2016.
  26. https://twitter.com/rta_dubai/status/1780596394308649273