A new pedestrian footbridge will connect the national rail network directly to the Jumeirah Golf Estates Metro Station, anchoring Dubai’s southern transit hub.
DUBAI — Construction on Dubai’s passenger rail terminal is entering its final stretch, with official operations scheduled to begin on September 30. Strategically positioned along Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road within Jumeirah Golf Estates, the station will open simultaneously with the Al Dhaid terminal in Sharjah, representing the second major phase of the UAE’s national passenger rail network following the launch of the Abu Dhabi-Fujairah route.
Central to the terminal’s integration into the wider city infrastructure is a dedicated pedestrian footbridge currently under construction. The link physically bridges the four-minute gap between the Etihad Rail facility and the existing Jumeirah Golf Estates Dubai Metro station, establishing a high-capacity multi-modal transport interchange.
According to Adhraa Almansoori, Executive Director of Commercial and Support at Etihad Rail Mobility, the deployment strategy follows established first-and-last-mile connectivity models pioneered during the initial Abu Dhabi and Fujairah network rollouts. The integration framework will connect passenger rail operations directly with Dubai’s existing Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) metro lines, public bus infrastructure, and taxi networks.
The integration strategy mirrors existing infrastructure in Abu Dhabi, where the Mohamed Bin Zayed City Station utilizes dedicated shuttle services alongside public transit linkages and Hafilat smart card synchronization. The official Etihad Rail passenger charter confirms that regional train schedules will align with urban transport options to function as unified transit hubs.
Located in Dubai’s expanding southern corridor, the Jumeirah Golf Estates hub provides direct transit access to several surrounding commercial and residential districts, including the Green Community, Al Furjan, Dubai Investment Park, Dubai Production City, and Expo City Dubai. Furthermore, the terminal sits approximately 30 minutes from Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), aligning with long-term urban expansions in Dubai South.
The Dubai facility forms a critical node within the broader 900-kilometer UAE National Rail Network, designed to connect 11 cities and regions from Al Sila in the western region to Fujairah on the eastern coast. The fleet’s passenger trains are configured to carry up to 400 commuters per journey across multiple daily frequencies. Long-term municipal transit planning also positions the Jumeirah Golf Estates interchange as a key node on the proposed Dubai Metro Gold Line.
