Dubai airports to be directly connected with proposed Airport Express Link

Dubai's airports are set to undergo a significant connectivity upgrade with the announcement of six bidders for the Airport Express Line tender. The proposed 55-kilometer rail line will connect Dubai International Airport (DXB) to Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), with five stations along the route. The line will traverse areas such as Al Jaddaf, Al Khail Road, and Jumeirah Village Circle, eventually terminating at DWC in Dubai South.

Two offshoots will connect to the main line at Jumeirah Village Circle Metro station, with one station in Business Bay and the other near Dubai Marina's Al Fardan Exchange. The bidding companies, which include Aecom/Surbana Jurong, AtkinsRealis, Jacobs (US), Parsons/Arup, Systra/Egis, and WSP, all have experience with infrastructure projects in the region, such as Etihad Rail, Dubai Metro, and Expo 2020.

This rail connection comes in anticipation of Dubai's plans to shift airport operations from DXB to DWC by 2032, when the first phase of the project is expected to be completed. DWC is projected to become the world's largest airport by 2057, with a capacity for 260 million passengers annually. DWC currently operates both passenger and cargo services, and will eventually house the flagship airline Emirates.

Dubai's rail infrastructure is already expanding with other projects in the pipeline. The Dubai Metro Red Line Route 2020 will intersect with DWC in the future, while Etihad Rail's Al Yalayis station in Dubai is set to open at the end of next month, marking the start of the first high-speed train service connecting Dubai and Abu Dhabi in just 30 minutes. The Dubai Metro Blue and Gold Lines are also underway, with openings planned for 2029 and 2032, respectively.