First Dubai metro train arrives

UAE: The first vehicles for the two-line automatic metro which is under construction in Dubai have arrived in the emirate from Japan. Manufacturer Kinki Sharyo will deliver the remaining trainsets for the Red Line by the end of this year, ready for the planned opening on September 9 2009. The trains for the Green Line will arrive throughout 2009, and inauguration of the second route is scheduled for March 21 2010.

The 87 five-car trains are designed to carry 643 seated and standing passengers, in Gold and Silver class accommodation.

The Gold class saloons are designed to encourage high-income residents to use the metro. They will have a luxurious interior, with just 18 wide leather seats providing a panoramic view through the front window. The inner half of the Gold class coach will be reserved for women and children, and will have extra space for prams and bags. Every car will have wheelchair spaces and priority seats for the elderly and disabled. Wi-fi and GSM will enable passengers to make effective use of the time spent commuting, time which would be wasted when travelling by road.

Pre-delivery testing of the first train at up to 60 km/h was carried out at the Mihara Test Track near Hiroshima in November, while the second trainset was sent to the Nippon Sharyo plant in Nagoya to test the air-conditioning.

The top speed of the trains will be 90 km/h, giving a round-trip time of 2 h 23 min for the Red Line and 1 h 23 min for the Green Line.

The April 2008 issue of Railway Gazette International will take a detailed look at the Dubai Metro project. Subscribe today.