The Dubai Metro Gold Line is the next new metro line Dubai has approved after the Blue Line, and it is the first that will run entirely underground. It cuts through some of the busiest residential and business districts in the city, from Al Ghubaiba in old Dubai to Business Bay, Meydan, Jumeirah Village Circle and Jumeirah Golf Estates. Buyers in those areas now ask us the same questions: where will it run, when will it open, and should it change what they buy? This guide answers them with the figures published by the Government of Dubai Media Office when the line was approved on 22 April 2026.
What is the Dubai Metro Gold Line?
The Gold Line is a planned 42 km metro line with 18 stations, approved by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on 22 April 2026. The Dubai Media Office describes it as the emirate's first fully underground metro line, built at a depth of 40 metres, with an estimated cost of about AED 34 billion.
Once it opens, the Dubai Metro network grows from 120 km to 162 km, an increase of 35%, and from 67 to 85 stations. Those totals count the Blue Line, which is under construction now, so the Gold Line is the second step of a network expansion that is already under way rather than a stand-alone idea.
What is the Gold Line route and which areas does it serve?
The line runs from Al Ghubaiba to Jumeirah Golf Estates. The official release names the areas it serves along the way:
- Al Ghubaiba and Mina Rashid, at the old-Dubai end of the line
- City Walk and Business Bay, in the central business district
- Mohammed Bin Rashid City, Nad Al Sheba, Mohammed bin Rashid Gardens and Meydan
- Al Barsha South and Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC)
- Jumeirah Golf Estates, where the line ends
The Media Office says the 18 stations serve 15 strategic locations and that the line includes loops for short and long trips. In practice, the route links the creek side of the city with communities further south-west, several of which, such as Al Barsha South, JVC and Meydan, have no metro station today.
Where will the Gold Line stations be?
The exact station locations have not been published yet. The approval announcement named the areas served and four interchange points, but not the 18 individual stations, and press coverage in June 2026 still reported that station locations had not been announced. Station-by-station maps circulating online are drawings, not official plans.
This matters for buyers. A listing that says a building is "next to the Gold Line station" is making a claim nobody can check yet. Until the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) publishes the alignment, treat the area as served and the walking distance as unknown.
When will the Gold Line open?
The official target for inauguration is 9 September 2032. The Media Office timeline puts the tender in 2026 and the contract award in 2027, and says the delivery period is 30% faster than the Blue Line's.
For comparison, the Blue Line route was approved in November 2023, its contract was awarded in December 2024 and it is due to open on 9 September 2029. If you want to follow the Gold Line's progress, the next milestones are the tender and the contract award, and the one that matters most to buyers is the RTA publishing the final alignment and station sites.
How does the Gold Line connect with the rest of the network?
The Gold Line has four interchange points named in the approval:
- Al Ghubaiba: interchange with the Green Line
- Business Bay: interchange with the Red Line
- Meydan: interchange with Etihad Rail
- Jumeirah Golf Estates: interchange with the Red Line and Etihad Rail
Through the Red Line at Business Bay, passengers reach the rest of the existing network, including Downtown and the airport stations. The two Etihad Rail links give the line a role beyond Dubai, since they connect it to the national railway.
| Line | Length | Stations | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Line | 52 km | 28 | Operating |
| Green Line | 23 km | 18 | Operating |
| Route 2020 | 15 km | 7 | Operating |
| Blue Line | 30 km | 14 | Under construction, opening 9 September 2029 |
| Gold Line | 42 km | 18 | Approved, opening 9 September 2032 |
Why is Dubai building another metro line?
Because the existing network is busy and the districts on the Gold Line route are growing. The Media Office says Dubai Metro carried 295 million passengers in 2025, up 7% on 2024, and averages about one million riders a day.
The Gold Line is expected to serve about 1.5 million people and more than 55 development projects in its area by 2040, and to carry 465,000 passengers a day beyond 2040. The government also expects it to remove more than 40 million road journeys a year and to cut congestion on the Red Line by 23% between the Burjuman and ONPASSIVE stations. For a buyer, the useful reading is that the line follows population and project growth that is already planned, which is the same logic the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan sets out for higher densities around mass-transit stations.
Will the Gold Line raise property prices?
The official projection is that property values near metro stations could rise by up to 20%. Read that figure for what it is: a government projection for areas near stations, with no promise about any single building, and no date attached.
Metro access is one of the first things tenants and buyers ask about, so a station within a real walk can matter to a property's appeal. Our guide Is Property Near Dubai Metro Worth the Price Premium? explains how to judge that premium. The practical rule is simple: compare the asking price with registered sales in the same building and in similar buildings further from the route. If the seller has already priced in the full 20%, the upside you are paying for has gone to someone else.
Which areas on the route suit which buyer?
Each area on the line has a different housing stock and a different role on the route. This table sets out what the official announcement says about each and what to check before buying.
| Area | Role on the Gold Line | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Al Ghubaiba and Mina Rashid | Start of the line; Green Line interchange at Al Ghubaiba | Building age and service charges in older stock; handover dates in new projects |
| City Walk and Business Bay | Central section; Red Line interchange at Business Bay | Existing Red Line access may already be in the price |
| Meydan, Nad Al Sheba, Mohammed Bin Rashid City | Middle section; Etihad Rail interchange at Meydan | For off-plan units, match the handover date to the 2032 target |
| Al Barsha South and JVC | Western section; no metro station today | Walking distance once stations are published; supply of similar units nearby |
| Jumeirah Golf Estates | End of the line; Red Line and Etihad Rail interchange | Villa and apartment mix; distance from the community to the station |
For a wider view of how to choose an area by goal, see What Are the Best Areas for Property Investment in Dubai? A Framework by Goal. The area guides for Business Bay, Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC), Meydan, Dubai and Jumeirah Golf Estates cover each community in more depth.
Should you buy now or wait until the line opens?
It depends on your horizon. The line is due in September 2032, so a purchase made today for the metro alone means holding for six years before the benefit arrives. That suits a long-term owner or an investor who buys for rental income today and treats the line as a later bonus. It suits a short-term buyer much less.
Off-plan buyers have an extra question: when is the handover compared with the opening? A unit handed over in 2028 earns rent for four years before the line opens, while one handed over in 2032 arrives at the same time. Our guide What Is Off-Plan Property in Dubai? Benefits, Risks and a Safe Buying Process covers escrow, registration and handover checks. Whatever you decide, base the price on today's registered transactions, not on the line.
What does the Gold Line mean for shops and offices?
For commercial property, a metro station changes footfall and staff access more than it changes residential rents. Retail at street level near a future station, and offices in Business Bay with a second metro line at the interchange, are the obvious beneficiaries once the line runs.
The same caution applies: station sites are not published, and footfall only arrives with the opening. Check the permitted use, the service charges and the VAT position, because commercial sales and leases are standard-rated at 5% (see How Does VAT Apply to Commercial Property in Dubai?). Our Commercial Property in Dubai: The Complete Guide for Buyers and Tenants walks through the rest.
How do you check a "near the Gold Line" listing before you pay?
- Ask which source the agent uses for the station location. Unless it is an RTA publication, treat the distance as unknown.
- Pull registered sales for the building and its neighbours from the DLD open data, as explained in Dubai Real Estate Index: How to Read DLD Transactions.
- Compare prices per square foot the right way round, using How Should You Compare Dubai Property Prices Per Square Foot?
- For off-plan units, set the handover date against 9 September 2032 and check the project's escrow account and registration.
- Decide whether the deal works without the line. If it only works with the full projected uplift, it is priced for the best case.
Bottom line
The Gold Line is good news for the districts it serves: a fully underground line through Business Bay, Meydan, Al Barsha South, JVC and Jumeirah Golf Estates, with four interchanges and an official opening date of 9 September 2032. Buy along the route because the property works today, at a price that matches registered sales, and let the line add to it over time. That is the confident way to buy along the Gold Line.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Dubai Metro Gold Line underground?
Yes. The Media Office describes it as Dubai's first fully underground metro line, at a depth of 40 metres.
How many stations will the Gold Line have?
Eighteen stations over 42 km, serving 15 strategic locations. The individual station sites have not been published yet.
Does the Gold Line go to JVC?
Yes. Jumeirah Village Circle is one of the areas named in the official route, between Al Barsha South and Jumeirah Golf Estates.
What is the difference between the Gold Line and the Blue Line?
The Blue Line serves the east of the city, from Al Jaddaf and Al Rashidiya to Dubai Creek Harbour, International City, Dubai Silicon Oasis and Academic City, and opens in 2029. The Gold Line serves the centre and the south-west, from Al Ghubaiba to Jumeirah Golf Estates, and opens in 2032. Our Dubai Metro Blue Line: Route, Stations and Property Impact covers the first.
Will the Gold Line connect to the airport?
Not directly. Passengers change to the Red Line at Business Bay or Jumeirah Golf Estates, and the Red Line serves the airport.
Can I get a mortgage on an off-plan unit near the Gold Line?
Some banks finance off-plan purchases, with a lower loan-to-value cap than for ready property. Mortgages in the UAE: Residents vs Non-Residents — The Big Picture explains the rules.
Related guides
- Dubai Metro Blue Line: Route, Stations and Property Impact
- Is Property Near Dubai Metro Worth the Price Premium?
- Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan: What It Means for Buyers
- What Is Off-Plan Property in Dubai? Benefits, Risks and a Safe Buying Process
- Dubai Real Estate Index: How to Read DLD Transactions
- Commercial Property in Dubai: The Complete Guide for Buyers and Tenants
Laguna Life Real Estate L.L.C is a DLD/RERA-registered brokerage. We start from your goal rather than from what is for sale, and we verify figures at the official source. To shortlist property along the Gold Line route, with registered prices, handover dates and the official station plans checked before you commit, talk to us. WhatsApp +971 56 100 0928 or visit lagunalife.ae. Register your interest now.