Dubai's Al Maktoum International Airport Announces Massive 50km Driverless Rail Network

Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) is set to feature the world's largest automated people mover, spanning a planned 50km line with nine stations to transport passengers across the mega-airport site.

The project contract was recently awarded by Dubai Aviation City Corporation to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), its Dubai subsidiary, and Indian multinational conglomerate Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T). According to MHI, construction is scheduled for completion in December 2031, ahead of the anticipated opening of the first phase of the airport in 2032. A further expansion will eventually bring the people mover to 14 stations once all phases are complete.

Ramkumar Sundararajan, executive vice president and head of transportation infrastructure at L&T, highlighted the scale of the undertaking. "This project exemplifies the scale and complexity of integrated APM Rail Systems that L&T is uniquely positioned to deliver," he stated, emphasizing the strong focus on safety and quality.

The automated people mover (APM) will run entirely underground beneath the apron of the entire airfield and terminals at DWC. Operating autonomously much like the MHI-built system at Dubai International Airport, this new transit network will easily surpass current major automated systems in the US, such as the DFW Skylink and AirTrain JFK.

Set to become the world's biggest aviation hub, Al Maktoum International Airport will eventually handle 260 million passengers and 12 million tonnes of freight annually. Phase 1 will launch the West Terminal, the people mover, and Concourse 1, raising DWC's capacity to 130 million passengers per year.

Additional mobility projects will also connect the airport to the region, including the Airport Express Link between Dubai International Airport (DXB) and DWC, and a dedicated station for Etihad Rail's high-speed rail service launching in 2030.