Dubai airports to be directly connected with proposed Airport Express Link

Dubai's airports are set to become more interconnected with the introduction of the Airport Express Link, as per the Roads and Transport Authority's (RTA) announcement of six bidders for the project's tender. The service aims to link Dubai International Airport (DXB) with Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), spanning 55 kilometers and featuring five stations. The exact timeline for the project remains undisclosed.

Passengers boarding at DXB's Dubai Metro Red Line station will traverse through Al Jaddaf, Al Khail Road, and Jumeirah Village Circle's future Gold Line Metro station before reaching DWC in Dubai South. Two branches will connect to the line at Jumeirah Village Circle Metro station, one in Business Bay and the other at Al Fardan Exchange Metro station near Dubai Marina.

The Airport Express Line's stations will enable passengers to check in for their flights and drop off their luggage. DWC, currently the second-busiest airport globally, is slated to become the world's largest airport in 2057, boasting a capacity of 260 million passengers annually. DWC will feature 400 boarding gates and five parallel runways, making it ideal for Emirates as the emirate's new air travel hub.

Dubai's rail network is also expanding, with the Dubai Metro Red Line Route 2020 and the Dubai Metro Blue and Gold Lines set to open by 2029 and 2032, respectively. Notably, Etihad Rail's Al Yalayis station in Dubai, connecting to DWC, will begin operations by the end of next month, marking the inception of the first high-speed train service between Dubai and Abu Dhabi in just 30 minutes.

Although Dubai is the first Middle Eastern city to connect its two airports, it is not the first worldwide. Both Shanghai and Seoul boast interconnected airport rail systems, connecting Shanghai Pudong with Shanghai Hongqiao and Incheon with Gimpo, respectively.