The Dubai Tram

The **Dubai Tram** (Arabic: ترام دبي) is a tramway located in Al Sufouh, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It runs for 14.5 kilometers (9.0 mi) along Al Sufouh Road from Dubai Marina to the Palm Jumeirah and Al Sufouh. The tram connects with the DMCC (Formerly Jumeirah Lake Towers) and Sobha Realty (Formerly Dubai Marina and DAMAC Properties) 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.

 Owner
 Locale
 Transit type
 Number of stations
 Website
 Began operation
 Operator(s)
 Rolling stock
 System length
 No. of tracks
 Track gauge
 Electrification
 Average speed
 Top speed

## **Facts**

The first section, a 10.6-kilometer (6.6 mi) 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.

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.

The **Dubai Tram** (Arabic: ترام دبي) is a tramway located in Al Sufouh, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It runs for 14.5 kilometers (9.0 mi) along Al Sufouh Road from Dubai Marina to the Palm Jumeirah and Al Sufouh. The tram connects with the DMCC (Formerly Jumeirah Lake Towers) and Sobha Realty (Formerly Dubai Marina and DAMAC Properties) 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.

## Construction

The planning and construction of the Dubai Tram was undertaken by a consortium of Alstom, Besix and Parsons.

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 10.6 kilometers (6.6 mi) of route. The Phase 1 will cost AED 3.18 Billion. Some 9.5 kilometres of the Dubai Tram project will be built as part of the first Phase 1. Phase 2 will add 14 more trams and eight more stations along an additional 4 kilometers (2.5 mi) of route.

As of 10 October 2010, the construction work on Dubai Tramway had progressed according to the scheduled completion of 2014. 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. In mid-2014, the tramline entered the testing phase, and it began operation in November 2014.

## Operations

The Dubai Tram is operated by Serco under contract to the Dubai Roads & Transport Authority.

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.

## 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.

## 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.

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**
 Kilometres
 Stations
 Trips (Total)

## Rolling stock

The Dubai Tram use 11 Alstom Citadis 402 trams for Phase 1. The trams are 44 m (144 ft) long with a capacity of 408 passengers. Maximum speed is 50 km/h (31 mph), giving an average operational speed of 20 km/h (12 mph).

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. The trams have Gold (first) and silver classes, and space dedicated to women and children.

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.

## Incidents and accidents

* 2 October 2014: During the test run, a car collided with the oncoming tram after jumping a red light signal. According to Dubai Police, neither the driver nor anyone else was injured in the accident but the vehicle sustained damage to its front portion and the tram sustained minimal damage.
* 17 December 2014: The tram service was disrupted for 15 minutes due to a collision between the tram and a car after the car driver misread a traffic signal to turn left and then stopped on the tram's tracks at an intersection in Jumeirah Beach Residence.

## Linking with Dubai Metro

The Dubai Tram has 2 stations that are interconnected to the 2 metro stations. It is, Sobha Realty (Formerly Dubai Marina and DAMAC Properties) and DMCC (Formerly Jumeirah Lake Towers.)

## **Stations**

Dubai Tram Stations Map of the Dubai Tram route. Here is the list of Dubai Tram stations. The tram has a total of 11 stations.

* Jumeirah Beach Residence 1
* Jumeirah Beach Residence 2
* Jumeirah Lake Towers (Interchange station with Dubai Metro)
* Dubai Marina Mall (Interchange station with Dubai Metro)
* Dubai Marina
* Marina Towers
* Mina Seyahi
* Media City
* Palm Jumeirah
* Knowledge Village
* Al Sufouh

## Accessing Dubai Tram stations

You can interchange to Dubai Metro and Palm Monorail from specific Dubai Tram stations. Get off the tram at Dubai Marina station and walk over to the Sobha Realty Metro Station served by the Red Line Metro. Alternatively, board the tram at Jumeirah Lakes Towers station and find a metro at the DMCC Metro Station.

To continue your journey in the Palm Monorail board off at the Palm Monorail station. It’s a short walk across to the Monorail station from the Tram station.

## Dubai Tram Timings

From Saturday to Thursday, the first tram runs at 06:30 am and the last tram of the day is scheduled for departure at 01:30 am. Dubai tram operating hours are slightly different on Fridays. The Tram opening timing is 09:00 am while tram closing timing is 01:30 am.

During peak hours a tram arrives at the station after every ten minutes and after twelve minutes during off-peak hours.

The whole Dubai Tram journey takes around forty minutes.

## Fare Payment

To travel via Dubai Tram, you would need a Nol card or Nol ticket. You could buy either at the ticket office or a ticket machine at any station.

A Nol Card is an electronic payment card. You can learn more about the multiple categories and many uses in our detailed guide on the RTA Nol cards in Dubai. Essentially there are three main categories available for ticket holders: Silver, Blue and Gold. The Silver category is a regular card, which can be topped with up for up to AED 1,000. Whereas a Blue Card is more personalised with greater security features and online services. Lastly, the Gold Card gives you access to the Gold Class cabins. Each time you travel, you can tap the card at the validator and it will deduct the correct fare for your journey.

The Nol Card Ticket can be bought by visitors for one-time usage.

## Dubai Tram tickets and fares

How much does it cost to buy Dubai Tram Tickets? You can use your Nol card to pay for the journey. The pricing detail is as follows:

* Silver Card: AED 3
* Gold Card: AED 6
* Blue Card: AED 3
* Red Ticket: AED 4

Currently all Tram Stations are in one zone. With future expansions, prices will increase depending on the zones you travel.

## Free parking for Tram passengers

Sometimes people try to avoid driving due to traffic voes. But they also don’t want to walk a long distance to get to a Dubai Tram Station. In such a case, you can use the multi-storied parking garage on Al Sufouh Road at Palm Jumeirah. The parking service is free for Dubai Tram passengers. You can walk to the Palm Jumeirah station and continue along your journey.

## Dubai Tram Fines

Like the metro and buses, there are certain rules which tram passengers have to follow. Failing to do so leads to a hefty fine. The following violations are an absolute no-no and invite a fine of up to AED 2,000.

* Standing or sitting in non-passenger areas.
* Placing your foot on the seats.
* Causing disturbance or inconvenience in any way.
* Sitting in areas designated for specific categories.
* Eating or drinking in prohibited areas.
* Bringing animals in the tram except for guide dogs.
* Misusing lifts or escalators
* Attempting to open tram’s door while it is moving.
* Using another person’s card.
* Using an expired card.
* Selling or promoting a product or service in the tram.
* Smoking, littering or spitting inside the tram.
* Carrying alcoholic beverages in the tram.
* Sleeping inside the tram.
* Carrying hazardous items such as weapons, sharp tools and inflammable material.
* Damaging or vandalising the tram or items in the stations.
* Using an emergency exit when it is not necessary.
* Parking vehicles in areas designated for metro users longer than permitted period.

## **Links to watch**

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWYEuIF0Obw

Note: Copy the link and paste it at YouTube to watch it.

This concludes our guide to Dubai Tram. If you live in the area serviced by the tram, it is a helpful way to get around the city. You can easily avoid peak hour traffic and reach your destination on time. There are different transport apps in Dubai, which can help you in reducing your travel time. Similarly, there are specific apps for RTA services in Dubai. Whether you are a resident or a tourist, these apps can come in handy.

The Dubai government is always actively looking to reduce congestion on the roads. The upcoming expansion of the metro with Route 2020, in particular, is a great example of such an effort. We can also expect the Dubai tram extension in the near future.

## **Gallery**

The Tram's art work.Two Trams close together.A Tram about to cross the rails.A Tram being tested.The Tram's Map in Rta.ae