Transport

The monorail on Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah will now open ‘later this year’.

The Middle East’s first monorail system was originally scheduled to open in December 2008 but was later delayed to April 2009.

The monorail is 5.4 km long and runs from the trunk of the Palm Jumeirah (Gateway Station) to the crescent (Atlantis Station). When operating at full capacity it will be capable of transporting 6,000 people per hour.

Testing has already been completed. Here’s a short video:

Refurbishment work on Terminal 2 at Dubai International Airport is now complete.

The airport’s smallest terminal now includes:

• A new façade and wider drop-off area
• An increase in the number of check-in counters from 22 to 36
• Dubai Duty Free – 1400 sq metre store in Departures, and 50 sq metre store in Arrivals
• Restaurants – McDonalds’s, Baskin Robbins, Costa Coffee etc.
• Shuttle bus service to Terminal 1 (20 minutes) and Terminal 3 (30 minutes)

Emirates Airline has announced that it will shortly redeploy two Airbus A380s currently flying between Dubai and New York.

From June 1 2009 the super-jumbos will be switched to the Dubai-Toronto and the Dubai-Bangkok services. New York will now be served by the smaller Boeing B777-300ER.

The change has been brought about by a drop in demand on the New York route.

Emirates Airline has dropped fares to 85 destinations throughout the world. The fares are valid for tickets issued in the United Arab Emirates before February 15 2009 with a travel date prior to May 31 2009.

The airline says the move has been prompted by lower fuel prices.

InterContinental Hotels Group have announced that their new Holiday Inn Express hotel in Al Garhoud will open this summer.

The Holiday Inn Express Dubai Airport will offer budget accommodation close to Dubai International Airport and boast 381 rooms.

Dubai International Airport recorded a 9 percent increase in passenger arrivals and departures for the year ended 31 December 2008.

Passenger throughput for the year was 37,441,440, compared to 34,348,110 in 2007. Prior to the opening of Terminal 3, the airport was actually operating above capacity. Despite this, the number of planes departing on time actually improved by 20 percent over the previous year.

The volume of cargo passing through the airport also saw a similar increase.

The Palm Monorail welcomed its first official riders last week. A group from the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and developers Nakheel rode the light rail system on the Palm Jumeirah from the Gateway Station to the Atlantis Aquaventure Station. The 5.5 kilometre journey took 8 minutes.

Nakheel announced that the monorail will open to the public in April 2009.

Plans to build 3 new bus stations in Dubai have been announced by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).

The stations will be located in Karama, Al Quoz, and Satwa and will offer a comprehensive range of facilities including restaurants, offices, car parks, and taxi ranks.

The bus station in Karama will offer intercity routes.

The Dubai Road and Transport Authority (RTA) has announced that taxis will soon be exempt from the Salik road tolls.

The move, effective from December 2, is designed to cut fuel consumption. Passengers currently pay Dh4 when they pass through a Salik gate. Many taxi drivers have simply avoided the charge by taking longer routes.

Royal Caribbean International has announced it will deploy the cruise ship Brilliance of the Seas to Dubai in 2010. Between January and April 2010 it will offer 7-night sailings from Dubai. Detailed itineraries will be announced over the next few weeks.

Michael Bayley, Senior Vice President, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd said ‘Dubai is a dynamic and thriving city that shows great growth potential. Building on our reputation for introducing revolutionary cruise experiences, we are excited to provide a different cruise vacation than traditionally offered in this region. Royal Caribbean continues to attract vacationers globally and we are thrilled to offer new and exciting choices for our guests – combining our distinct onboard amenities with compelling itineraries including the Arabian Gulf’s most popular destinations.’