The other day I went downtown on the new metro! The stations are immaculate, the train ride was really comfortable, and you get a great elevated view of Dubai city. There are seat sections like standard class seating and a cabin for women and children section as well as an exclusive first class section. The Dubai metro is the first one of its kind in the UAE. It started running three months ago in September with 10 of the 29 stations open and gradually more stops are being completed in main hubs of Dubai every couple of weeks. It only took 4 years to complete which is very fast for a project of this scale.
The Metro is part of Sheikh Mo's vision to develop a transportation system including the Metro, a bus network, marine transport and an advanced road infrastructure. Road congestion is a major problem in Dubai since it has always been a very car-centric city. It will be interesting to see how long it will take for train use to really catch on. Cars are a major part of everyone's lifestyle here - luxury cars are relatively cheap, there's also a lack of taxation, and gas costs are not an issue since its government subsidized. Its approximately $1.70 a gallon!
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