Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and The Boring Company to build Dubai Loop

Key facts

• Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) signed an agreement with The Boring Company during the World Governments Summit 2026 to develop the Dubai Loop underground transport system.
• The Dubai Loop is an express underground network using electric vehicles in dedicated tunnels to provide high-speed, point-to-point travel without intermediate stops.
• The pilot phase of the project covers a 6.4 km route with four stations, linking the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) area with the Dubai Mall and the Burj Khalifa zone.
• The full network is planned to expand to 22.5 km with 19 stations, stretching toward the Dubai World Trade Centre and Business Bay.
• The tunnels will have a diameter of 3.6 metres and are constructed using high-speed boring methods to minimise surface disruption and costs compared to traditional metro systems.
• The pilot route is estimated to cost 154 million US Dollars and handle 13,000 passengers daily, while the full system is priced at 545 million US Dollars with a capacity of 30,000 passengers daily.
• Dubai will become the second location globally, after California, to adopt this specific tunnel transport model.
• Safety features include 24-hour communication with an operations control centre, emergency exits, fire detection, ventilation systems, and camera coverage.