Dubai will soon commence construction on the first phase of the Dubai Loop, an underground transportation project developed in partnership with Elon Musk’s The Boring Company, with an initial investment of approximately Dh565 million, according to the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
The project, announced last year, aims to enhance urban mobility by linking major commercial, residential and tourist hubs through underground tunnels. Speaking at the World Government Summit, RTA Director General Mattar Al Tayer stated that the agreement with the Boring Company was signed approximately 10 months ago, with execution expected within one to two years.
The first phase will feature a 6.4-kilometre pilot route with four stations, connecting the Dubai International Financial Centre with Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa. This initial stage is expected to serve around 13,000 passengers per day. Once fully developed, the Dubai Loop will span more than 22 kilometres and include up to 19 stations, with a projected daily capacity of about 30,000 passengers.
The pilot phase is estimated to cost Dh565 million, while the full project is expected to require an investment of about Dh2 billion over an implementation period of approximately three years.
According to RTA, the system will rely on underground tunnels with a diameter of 3.6 metres, dedicated to vehicle transport. The Boring Company’s tunnelling technology is expected to enable faster construction, lower costs and reduced disruption to existing roads and utilities compared to traditional metro tunnels.
RTA said the Dubai Loop will support first- and last-mile connectivity and integrate with existing transport modes, reinforcing Dubai’s strategy to deploy innovative and cost-efficient mobility solutions.
