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Dubai Metro turns 12: Expats share what they love about their daily ride
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Dubai - On 09-09-2009 at precisely 09.09.09pm, the first Metro card was tapped — and the emirate’s transport landscape changed forever.
For Dubai residents, the Metro is the lifeline of the city. The daily grind becomes ‘so much easier’, knowing that a reliable transportation can take them wherever they need to go.
Khaleej Times spoke to a number of regular riders who shared what makes the Dubai Metro the best in the world.
Filipina expat Via Imperial, who works as HR administrator for a courier and logistics firm, said she loves the train's dedicated cabins for women and children the most.
“The Dubai Metro has helped me a lot and it has been very convenient for me over the last years. Their efforts to make it even better — by opening Route 2020 — is really impressive,” said Via, who travels from Burjuman Metro Station to Deira City Centre or Al Rigga Metro Station after her company shuttle drops her off.
Besides the everyday convenience, the Metro also serves as a ‘tourist train’. “When my friends from abroad come over, we use the Metro to go sightseeing, and it comes at a lesser cost,” she added.
Indian expat Hafsa Zaheer, another regular Metro rider, has zero complaints.
“I can’t imagine how hard commuting would have been previously. The Metro has become a huge part of this great developing city. With new lines introduced, it has become easier for us to explore different areas. In the city of growth and opportunities, the Metro has definitely played a vital role,” said Hafsa, who was born and raised in Dubai.
“Watching the operations of Metro during peak hours has been astonishing over the years. During the pandemic, the challenge was real when we had to look out for other options for commuting, as the Metro is the most affordable and convenient option,” she added.
The Dubai Metro services were briefly suspended last year as part of the precautionary measures against the spread of Covid-19. And when the trains hit the tracks again, all sanitisation and social distancing protocols were closely followed.
Lebanese expat Jamil Gerges has been riding the Metro since he was a teen.
“I used the Dubai Metro to go from Deira City Centre to the American University in Dubai. It was a benefit, in fact, a blessing, to be honest. And it was amazing because the cost was so low,” said Jamil.
“And what stood out for me was the cleanliness and the organisation, the friendly staff at the stations as well as the artificial intelligence used, where the system calculates how many minutes are left for the incoming train. It helps you plan your trip accordingly,” the 29-year-old added.
What Ivan D’Souza likes about the Metro is the high standard of hygiene. “Plus, the connectivity is very good in terms of feeder buses, since a lot of offices are based at Business Bay,” said Ivan.
james@khaleejtimes.com
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