Dubai is moving ahead with plans for a 55-km rail connection linking Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport. Six international consultancy groups have submitted proposals for the study and design contract for the project, which is expected to include five stations and two branch alignments.
Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority is advancing plans for a new 55-km fast rail connection between Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) as the emirate prepares for major growth in air passenger traffic.
The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) launched the consultancy tender during 2026 for studies and design work on the future link.
The deadline for submissions, initially scheduled for June and later extended to 8 July, has now passed, with proposals received from six international groups.
The bidders are AECOM–Surbana Jurong, AtkinsRéalis, Jacobs, Parsons–Arup, Systra–Egis and WSP.
The procurement is currently understood to be in the evaluation stage. RTA has not yet announced a preferred consultant, the value of the consultancy contract or a timetable for construction.
Five stations and two branches planned
The proposed route would start from the existing Dubai Metro Red Line station serving Dubai International Airport in Al Garhoud before continuing towards Al Jaddaf, Al Khail Road, Jumeirah Village Circle and Al Maktoum International Airport.
Current plans envisage a network of five principal stations and two branch alignments.
One branch would run from Jumeirah Village Circle towards the area near Emirates Golf Club, while another would extend towards Business Bay.
Jumeirah Village Circle is also expected to become an interchange with Dubai’s planned Gold Line, adding another strategic connection to the city’s future metro network.
The airport rail stations are being considered with facilities such as remote airline check-in, baggage drop and security screening, potentially allowing passengers to complete part of the airport process before reaching the terminal.
Dubai prepares for major expansion at Al Maktoum airport
The rail project comes as Dubai prepares for a substantial transfer of aviation activity towards Al Maktoum International Airport.
Dubai has announced an investment programme worth approximately AED 128 billion (around USD 35 billion) to expand the airport.
The facility is planned to handle around 150 million passengers annually within the next decade, with ultimate capacity exceeding 260 million passengers per year.
The long-term masterplan includes five parallel runways, two passenger terminals, seven concourses and more than 400 aircraft stands, as well as cargo capacity of up to 12 million tonnes annually.
The new airport rail link would therefore become a strategic connection between Dubai’s current main international gateway and the much larger hub being developed at DWC.
Dubai continues metro expansion
The airport project forms part of a wider expansion of Dubai’s public transport infrastructure.
Dubai Metro carried approximately 295 million passengers in 2025, an increase of around 7% year-on-year, while the broader public transport network handles close to one million trips per day.
Construction is also under way on the Dubai Metro Blue Line, a roughly 30-km project with 14 stations.
Meanwhile, Dubai is developing plans for the Gold Line, another major corridor intended to strengthen east-west connectivity and provide new interchange opportunities with existing and future rail routes.
For the proposed DXB–DWC link, however, the project remains at the study and design stage. No construction contract, opening date or final investment value has yet been announced.
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