Dubai Metro breaks down on day one

Gregg Carlstrom | September 10, 2009 9:21 AM | 0 | recommend (0) |   |      

Dubai's gleaming new $7.6 billion Metro system was inaugurated at a glittery ceremony last night. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid took the first ride at 9:09 p.m. (on 9/9/09, no less), and everything went according to plan. The new system features trains with air conditioning and wireless Internet, according to The National.

Dubai Metro ride

Today, though -- the first day of passenger service -- the system wasn't quite so flawless.

A Dubai Metro train that broke down after reaching Nakheel Harbour and Tower Station left the station around 11.55am on Thursday after more than two hours... around 70 passengers trying out the Metro for leisure and work were stranded for more than two hours.

Almost makes me wonder if Dubai contracted the engineering work to WMATA...

Kidding aside, this is the first subway system in the Gulf, and Dubai is (rightly) proud of it. (Cairo has the first subway system in the Arab world.)

For updates throughout the day, follow us on Twitter, Facebook or RSS!

Categories: Life and Culture, Regional News, United Arab Emirates

Tags: Dubai Metro, public transportation, Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid

No Comments

Post a Comment

Growing pains for the Dubai Metro

The Dubai Metro is experiencing some growing pains, with trains delayed for hours at stations and passengers pushing the emergency buttons that bring the trains to a halt.

Koshary and onions

Koshary Today, an Egyptian take on The Onion, has a funny take on the Cairo Metro, which is supposed to inaugurate two new lines by 2019.

Latest Iraqi election results: Karbala province

ADL, AIPAC continue march towards irrelevance

Yemeni airstrike targets alleged AQAP members, kills two

Al-Akhbar: Our weekly brief

Peace Processing

Fallout from Biden's visit: West Bank sealed off; proximity talks appear stalled

Gregg Carlstrom | March 12, 2010 8:56 AM | 0 | recommend (0)
Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas greets U.S. vice president Joe Biden in Ramallah. (Photo: AFP)
As Joe Biden wraps up his Middle East tour, Palestinian officials say they're unwilling to move forward with proximity talks unless Israel cancels its new construction in East Jerusalem; and the Israeli Defense Forces have sealed off the West Bank for 48 hours, reportedly for security concerns. Several people were injured and arrested in fighting at the Al-Aqsa mosque this morning.

Peace Processing

Biden arrives in Israel amid serious Palestinian doubts

Gregg Carlstrom | March 9, 2010 4:56 AM | 1 | recommend (0)
Vice President Joe Biden and his wife arrived in Israel on Monday.
As Joe Biden lands in Israel, the Israeli government -- obviously keen to demonstrate that it's serious about restarting peace talks -- announced Monday that it will violate its West Bank settlement freeze and build 112 new homes in Beitar Illit, a settlement west of Bethlehem.

Iraqi Elections

Polls close in Iraq; media reports suggest strong turnout, relative calm

Gregg Carlstrom | March 7, 2010 9:27 AM | 0 | recommend (0)
An Iraqi man on a bicycle displays his ink-stained finger after voting in Baghdad on March 7, 2010. (Photo: AP)
A handful of insurgent attacks around the country killed two dozen people, but Iraqi security forces seemed generally confident; the vehicle ban in Baghdad, scheduled to last all day, was lifted before noon. Anecdotal reports suggest a strong turnout across the country.

Bloggers

The "MSM"