Six international engineering groups have submitted bids for the study and design of Dubai’s proposed Airport Express Line, a major new metro corridor planned to directly connect Dubai International Airport (DXB) with Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC).
The latest procurement milestone represents a significant step in Dubai’s plans to expand its rail network around the emirate’s two major aviation hubs.
The proposed Airport Express Line would extend approximately 55 kilometres from the existing Dubai Metro Red Line station serving Dubai International Airport in Al Garhoud to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South.
According to the latest tender reporting, six groups are competing for the consultancy assignment:
- AECOM – Surbana Jurong
- AtkinsRéalis
- Jacobs
- Parsons – Arup
- SYSTRA – Egis
- WSP
The competition has narrowed considerably since a pre-bid meeting earlier in the procurement process, when 13 international engineering consultancies were reported to be considering the opportunity. RTA had encouraged companies to form joint ventures for the assignment.
Proposed Route Across Dubai
Current proposals envisage the Airport Express starting from the Red Line station at DXB, before travelling through Al Jaddaf and following the Al Khail Road corridor.
The line would then reach a proposed new station at Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC) before continuing southwest towards Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC).
The concept also includes two spur connections.
One would extend from the proposed JVC station towards the Al-Fardan Exchange Metro Station at Emirates Golf Club, providing connectivity with the existing metro network.
A second branch would extend towards Business Bay, where another station is proposed.
This means the Airport Express concept is potentially much more than a simple airport-to-airport shuttle: it could become a new high-capacity rail corridor crossing several important parts of Dubai.
Five Stations – With Airport Functions Built Into the Journey
One of the most interesting aspects of the concept is the proposed integration of airport passenger processing into metro stations.
The approximately 55 km main line is planned with five stations, where passengers could potentially access facilities including remote airline check-in, baggage drop-off and security screening before reaching the airport terminal.
If implemented, the concept would create a much closer interface between Dubai’s urban rail and aviation systems, effectively allowing parts of the airport journey to begin at the metro station.
Not the Same as the Route 2020 Extension
An important distinction is that the Airport Express is separate from another metro project currently being advanced to connect Expo City with Al Maktoum International Airport.
RTA has separately tendered the design of an approximately 3 km extension of Route 2020 from Expo 2020 Metro Station to DWC’s West Terminal, including two stations.
That connection has been envisaged for some time. When Route 2020 opened, RTA described the line as a future link to Al Maktoum International Airport. RTA’s earlier planning envisaged extending the route by approximately 3.4 km from Expo 2020 Station to the airport.
The existing Route 2020 itself extends approximately 15 km from Jebel Ali, comprising 11.8 km of elevated railway and 3.2 km underground, with seven stations. It was designed for a capacity of about 23,000 passengers per hour per direction.
The two projects therefore appear to serve complementary purposes:
Route 2020 extension: Expo City → DWC
Airport Express: DXB → central Dubai corridors → DWC
Rail Investment Converging on Al Maktoum International Airport
The Airport Express proposal comes as Dubai prepares for the long-term expansion of Al Maktoum International Airport, making high-capacity public transport connections to Dubai South increasingly important.
It also forms part of a much broader period of railway investment in Dubai.
Alongside the Airport Express and Route 2020 extension, the emirate is progressing other major rail schemes, including its wider metro expansion programme. Industry reporting places these projects within the Dubai Rail Network Plan 2032, covering a mix of metro, passenger and high-speed rail initiatives.
This increasingly creates the prospect of DWC becoming a significant multimodal rail and aviation hub, rather than simply an airport served by a single metro extension.
From 13 Interested Consultants to Six Bidding Groups
The procurement process also demonstrates the scale of international interest in the scheme.
A pre-bid meeting earlier in 2026 reportedly attracted:
AECOM, Arup, ARX, AtkinsRéalis, Deutsche Bahn, Egis, Jacobs, Mott MacDonald, Parsons, Sener, Surbana Jurong, SYSTRA and WSP.
The latest bidding stage has consolidated that field into the six competing teams.
The selected consultant will undertake the study and design of the Airport Express. This is therefore a design consultancy procurement, rather than the construction tender for the line itself.
If progressed through subsequent design and construction stages, the Airport Express could become one of the most strategically important additions to Dubai’s future rail network — providing a direct rail connection between DXB and DWC while also introducing new connections through Al Jaddaf, Al Khail Road, JVC and potentially Business Bay and Emirates Golf Club.
RailBays project snapshot
Project: Dubai Airport Express Line
Country: UAE
City: Dubai
Client: Dubai Roads & Transport Authority (RTA)
Type: Metro / Airport Rail Link
Length: Approximately 55 km
Main Line Stations: 5 proposed
Key Termini: Dubai International Airport (DXB) – Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC)
Intermediate corridor: Al Garhoud – Al Jaddaf – Al Khail Road – JVC – DWC
Proposed Spurs: Emirates Golf Club and Business Bay
Current Stage: Study & Design Consultancy Procurement
Status: Six bidding groups
Construction Contract: Not yet tendered based on the information reviewed
Other metro projects
In October last year, the RTA had selected US-based engineering firm Aecom to provide consultancy services for the upcoming Dubai Metro Gold Line project, also known as Metro Line 4.
The Gold Line will start at Al-Ghubaiba in Bur Dubai. It will run parallel to – and alleviate pressure on – the existing Red Line, before heading inland to Business Bay, Meydan, Global Village and residential developments in Dubailand.
The other metro lines in the pipeline are the Purple Line and the Pink Line, both of which are in the early stages of development.
Firms are also bidding to update the emirate’s rail masterplan. In October 2025,10 firms had submitted bids to undertake the project.
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