Dubai is studying an underground transport system that would move people, goods and services beneath the city, Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) Director General Mattar Al Tayer said on Tuesday 13 October 2026 at the Mohammed bin Rashid Leadership Forum. No route, cost or opening date has been given yet. An RTA team is still examining the proposal, The National reports.
Al Tayer described future mobility in three layers: air taxis above, autonomous vehicles on the roads, and an underground layer below. “The Dubai of the future will be a city that moves in three dimensions,” he said.
What is already planned underground
The new idea comes on top of Dubai Loop, the tunnel network RTA announced earlier this year with Elon Musk’s Boring Company. The National did not say whether Tuesday’s plan is an extension of Dubai Loop or a separate system.
| Project | What we know |
|---|---|
| Underground network (announced 13 Oct) | For people, goods and services. Under study; no route, cost or date |
| Dubai Loop, full network | 22km, 19 stations, about Dh2 billion |
| Dubai Loop, Phase 1 | DIFC to Dubai Mall, about Dh565 million. First stations: Burj Khalifa, DIFC 2, Zabeel Dubai Mall Parking and ICD Brookfield Place. Autonomous Tesla cars, according to RTA’s February statement |
| Air taxis | First station planned for 2026 |
| Autonomous travel target | One in four journeys driverless by 2030 |
Why Dubai is going underground
The numbers Al Tayer gave explain the pressure on the roads. Dubai records more than 11 million road journeys a day, over 7,000 a minute. More than 6 million people move around the city in daylight hours, a figure RTA expects to pass 12 million by 2040. The population reached 4.58 million at the end of 2025, up 7.5% in a year.
What it means for you today
Nothing changes for now: this is a long-term plan with no timetable. For getting around today, the Metro, buses and the new Etihad Rail service are the options. Compare fares in our Dubai public transport costs guide, see the Etihad Rail Dubai to Abu Dhabi timetable, or weigh car, Metro and bus in our commute options guide.
Quick answers
Is Dubai building an underground transport network?
RTA is studying one. Director General Mattar Al Tayer announced on 13 October 2026 that Dubai is examining an underground system to move people, goods and services. No route, cost or date has been announced.
What is Dubai Loop?
Dubai Loop is a planned 22km tunnel network with 19 stations, built with the Boring Company. Phase 1 links DIFC and Dubai Mall and is estimated at about Dh565 million.
When will Dubai Loop open?
No opening date has been confirmed for Dubai Loop or for the new underground network.
Published 13 October 2026. Source: The National (13 October 2026), reporting Mattar Al Tayer’s remarks at the Mohammed bin Rashid Leadership Forum, and RTA’s earlier Dubai Loop announcements as reported there. We will update this page when RTA publishes routes or dates.
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