Dubai Metro to get Dubai Mall walkway, DIFC next?
Posted on 04 January 2012 with 2 comments from readers
Commuters, shoppers and tourists who currently make the 800-metre walk from the Dubai Metro station to the Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa will benefit from a new air-conditioned walkway next year, according to an announcement yesterday from mall owner Emaar Properties.
But there are plenty of other places in Dubai that could benefit from such walkways. For example, the Dubai International Financial Centre station ought to have a link to the centre itself so that executives do not have to sweat it out in the summer months.
More walkways?
Similarly a feeder system of walkways in the Dubai Marina and Dubai Tecom Zone should be considered. Dense areas of habitation are natural catchments for metros. Think Central Hong Kong.
The Dubai Mall walkway is not the first. The Mall of the Emirates built its link to the world’s most modern light railway before it opened. Shoppers can park their cars further up the track and avoid parking in the mall itself.
It would be good to see more strategically located car parks serving the Dubai Metro too. This obviously encourages people to leave their cars and use the system. It saves on fuel and pollution and time wasted finding a parking space at the destination.
The Dubai Metro is already a huge success with daily traffic well above expectations. It is a very high quality system and very reliable too. Visitors and residents love it.
Hot summer months
The difficulty is accessing the metro, particularly in the five hot summer months. Perhaps not enough thought went into this part of this major public transport project.
Air-conditioned walkways in strategic locations and additional car parks are the way forward, and cost little in comparison with the amount spent on the whole metro. They can be added retrospectively and quickly pay for themselves in additional fares.
Developers like Emaar Properties may also be prepared to chip-in. Emaar will of course gain from the Dubai Mall walkway in terms of increased footfall to its mall.
2 Comments posted by readers:
Tip to International readers and visitors, for DIFC on Metro, get off at Emirates Towers Metro Station for easy access to main area of DIFC, NOT Financial Center Station
it is literally a two minute walk from emirates towers station to difc bld 5. doable even in the hottest months for even the most pampered executive. (who let’s face it will use his chauffeur driven merc instead.)
Ed Note: Well ladies wearing make-up that might melt would probably not agree!