Palm Jumeirah Monorail
| Palm Jumeirah Monorail | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Test driving of the Dubai Monorail, 2009 |
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| Background | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Locale | Dubai | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Transit type | straddle-beam monorail | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number of lines | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number of stations | 4 (2 not open), 1 planned | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Daily ridership | ~40,000 (capacity)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operation | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Began operation | April 30, 2009 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operator(s) | Serco Group plc | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number of vehicles | 4 (2009)[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Technical | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Average speed | 35 km/h | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Top speed | 70 km/h | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Palm Jumeirah Monorail is a monorail line on the Palm Jumeirah island in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The monorail connects the Palm Jumeirah to the mainland, with a planned further extension to the Red Line of the Dubai Metro.[3] The line opened on April 30, 2009.[4] It is the first monorail in the Middle East.[5]
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[edit] History
Construction began on the 5.45-kilometre (3 mi) monorail line in March 2006,[3] under the supervision of Marubeni Corporation, with the monorail track completed in July 2008 and vehicle testing beginning in November 2008. Originally planned to open by December 2008,[6] the opening was delayed to April 30, 2009.[3][6]. In 2010, day-to-day operations were taken over by the Middle-East branch of Serco [7].
The project budget is US$400 million, with an additional US$190M set aside for a 2-kilometre (1 mi) future extension to the Dubai Metro.[8] Another source speaks of a budget of US$1.1 billion.[9] A journey on the monorail costs Dhs15 one-way, 25 return.
[edit] Technology
The Palm Jumeirah Monorail uses Hitachi Monorail straddle-type technology. The line has a capacity of 40,000 passengers per day, with trains running every three minutes during peak hours and every 15 to 20 minutes during off-peak hours.[3][5] However, actual ridership averaged around 600 passengers per day during the first week,[10] and the monorail is running "virtually empty".[11]
The electro-mechanical works are carried out by ETA-Dubai in joint venture with Hitachi-Japan.
[edit] Stations
As of May 2009[update], only the Atlantis Aquaventure and Gateway stations are open.[9]
- Atlantis Aquaventure — Atlantis, The Palm
- Trump Tower (not open yet) — Trump International Hotel and Tower
- Palm Mall (not open yet) — formerly Trump Plaza
- Gateway — Gateway Towers
Planned extension:
- Dubai Internet City (planned) — interchange to Dubai Metro
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.2daydubai.com/pages/dubai-metro.php#E3d
- ^ http://www.hitachi-rail.com/rail_now/hot_topics/2009/090604/index.html
- ^ a b c d e "Middle East's first monorail to start services in Palm Jumeirah by April". Gulf News. 2008-08-07. http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/08/08/07/10235187.html. Retrieved 2008-08-11.
- ^ "Palm monorail tried and tested - The Knowledge News". TimeOutDubai.com. http://www.timeoutdubai.com/knowledge/news/8723-palm-monorail-tried-and-tested. Retrieved 2010-08-27.
- ^ a b "ME's 1st monorail to begin services in April". MENAFN.com. 2008-08-08. http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story_s.asp?StoryId=1093207150. Retrieved 2008-08-11.
- ^ a b "Palm monorail hit by four-month delay". ArabianBusiness.com. 2008-07-22. http://www.arabianbusiness.com/525611-palm-monorail-hit-by-four-month-delay?ln=en. Retrieved 2008-08-11.
- ^ article in Railway Gazette
- ^ "Quiet please for region’s first monorail". ArabianBusiness.com. 2007-04-07. http://www.arabianbusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10716. Retrieved 2008-08-11.
- ^ a b "Nice and Easy, but Fares Not So Fair". Khaleejtimes.com. 2009-05-07. http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/theuae/2009/May/theuae_May169.xml§ion=theuae&col=. Retrieved 2010-08-27.
- ^ Sarah Blackman (2009-05-06). "Dubai's new Palm Monorail proves popular". ConstructionWeekOnline.com. http://www.constructionweekonline.com/article-5129-dubais_new_palm_monorail_proves_popular/. Retrieved 2010-08-27.
- ^ "Palm monorail: Where are the passengers? - XPRESS (United Arab Emirates)". Encyclopedia.com. 2009-05-27. http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-201385494.html. Retrieved 2010-08-27.
[edit] External links
Media related to Palm Jumeirah Monorail at Wikimedia Commons
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