Palm Monorail Explained

Palm Monorail
Locale:Dubai
Transit Type:straddle-beam monorail
System Length:5.45km (03.39miles)
Began Operation:April 30, 2009
Lines:1
Stations:5 open, 1 planned
Ridership:~40,000 (capacity), under contemporary interval 23,000. Current ridership much lower.
Operator:Serco
Vehicles:4 (2009)[1] (only two visually seen in July 2014)

The Palm Monorail is a monorail line on the Palm Jumeirah island in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is operated by the UK-based Serco. The monorail connects the Palm Jumeirah to the mainland, with a planned further extension to the Red Line of the Dubai Metro.[2] The line opened on April 30, 2009 as the Palm Jumeirah Monorail.[3] It is the first monorail in the Middle East.[4]

The trains are driverless, with attendants for any emergency situations.[1]

History

Construction began on the 5.45NaN monorail line in March 2006,[2] under the supervision of Marubeni Corporation, with the monorail track completed in July 2008 and vehicle testing beginning in November 2008. Originally planned to open by December 2008,[5] the opening was delayed to April 30, 2009.[2] [5] In 2010, day-to-day operations were taken over by the British company Serco.[6]

The project budget is US$400 million, with an additional US$190M set aside for a 2NaN future extension to the Dubai Metro,[7] while other sources state a budget of US$1.1 billion.[8] A journey on the monorail costs Dhs20 one-way, 30 return.

The Al Ittihad Park station, originally intended to serve the cancelled Trump International Hotel and Tower development, was opened on July 3, 2017.[9] Nakheel Mall station opened on November 28, 2019.[10]

Technology

The Palm Monorail uses Hitachi Monorail straddle-type technology. The electro-mechanical works are carried out by ETA-Dubai in joint venture with Hitachi-Japan.

Ridership

The line has a theoretical capacity of 40,000 passengers per day, with trains running every few minutes during peak hours and every 15 to 20 minutes during off-peak hours.[2] [4] However, actual ridership averaged around 600 passengers per day during the first week,[11] and the monorail ran "virtually empty".[12], the line runs every 11 minutes and averages 3,000 passengers per day.[9]

Stations

Planned extension

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Monorail in Palm Jumeirah Island opened in April 2009. Hitachi Ltd.. 18 April 2016. 18 September 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140918022940/http://www.hitachi-rail.com/topics/2009/090604.html. dead.
  2. Web site: Middle East's first monorail to start services in Palm Jumeirah by April . . 2008-08-07 . 2008-08-11 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090716225656/http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/08/08/07/10235187.html . 2009-07-16 .
  3. News: Palm monorail tried and tested - The Knowledge News . Time Out Dubai . 6 May 2009 . TimeOutDubai.com . 2010-08-27.
  4. Web site: ME's 1st monorail to begin services in April . MENAFN.com . 2008-08-08 . 2008-08-11 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110611074909/http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story_s.asp?StoryId=1093207150 . 2011-06-11 .
  5. Web site: Palm monorail hit by four-month delay . ArabianBusiness.com . 2008-07-22 . 2008-08-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080810133306/http://www.arabianbusiness.com/525611-palm-monorail-hit-by-four-month-delay?ln=en . 2008-08-10 . dead .
  6. Web site: Urban rail news in brief September 2010. DVV Media UK. Railway Gazette. 18 April 2016.
  7. Web site: Quiet please for region's first monorail . ArabianBusiness.com . 2007-04-07 . 2008-08-11.
  8. Web site: Nice and Easy, but Fares Not So Fair . Khaleejtimes.com . 2009-05-07 . 2010-08-27 . 2012-09-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120918025923/http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data%2Ftheuae%2F2009%2FMay%2Ftheuae_May169.xml&section=theuae&col= . dead .
  9. Web site: New station on the Palm Monorail opens. 3 July 2017 .
  10. Web site: In pictures: New mega Nakheel Mall opens in Dubai's Palm Jumeirah. 28 November 2019.
  11. News: Sarah Blackman . Dubai's new Palm Monorail proves popular . Construction Week Online . ConstructionWeekOnline.com . 2009-05-06 . 2010-08-27.
  12. Web site: Palm monorail: Where are the passengers? - XPRESS (United Arab Emirates) . Encyclopedia.com . 2009-05-27 . 2010-08-27.
  13. Web site: Jumeirah Palm Island Monorail . www.dubaifaqs.com . 24 May 2021 .
  14. Web site: The Palm Monorail station at The Pointe closes today. Alice. Holtham. 31 July 2023. whatson.ae.

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