Dubai tram to run on a catenary-free line.

THE Dubai Tram, which was launched last month as the first tramway in the Gulf region, is expected to serve about 27,000 passengers in a day and about 66,000 by 2020.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince, chairman of the Executive Council, inaugurated the tramway on November 11, launching operation on the world’s first 100 per cent catenary-free line.

This full system project – that was assigned to Alstom by Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) – was launched to foster multimodal transportation use and to reduce traffic congestion and pollution.

The Dubai Tramway is the first tram in the world able to run in temperatures of up to 50 deg C and to withstand harsh climate conditions. Equipped with APS ground-level power supply, the system is also the first in the world to be catenary-free all along the line which is 10.6 km long and counts 11 stations.

Lastly, it is the first line to be equipped with air-conditioned stations and automatic platform screen doors.