Contractor prequalification deadline for Dubai Metro Gold Line is extended to October 9

Dubai, UAE (Rail & Metro Today): Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) has extended the deadline for contractors to submit their prequalification statements for the Dubai Metro Gold Line to October 9, 2026, providing additional time for prospective bidders to prepare their submissions for one of the emirate’s largest upcoming urban rail projects.

The previous deadline was September 7, while the original Request for Qualification (RFQ) issued by RTA had set August 17 as the initial submission date. The prequalification exercise follows the authority’s invitation to contractors to express interest in the project earlier this year.

Importantly, the current process is a contractor prequalification milestone and does not represent the award of the main design-and-build contract. The final shortlist of contractors or consortiums has yet to be disclosed.

AED 34 Billion Gold Line

Dubai officially announced the Gold Line project in April 2026. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, announced an investment of approximately AED 34 billion (US$9.2 billion) for the project.

The fully underground Gold Line will extend for more than 42 kilometres and comprise 18 stations across 15 areas of Dubai. Once completed, the project is expected to increase the overall length of the Dubai Metro network by around 35 per cent and benefit approximately 1.5 million residents.

The new line is also expected to provide connectivity to more than 55 real estate development projects currently under construction, supporting Dubai’s continued urban and residential expansion.

Al Ghubaiba to Jumeirah Golf Estates

The Gold Line will run from Al Ghubaiba in Bur Dubai to Jumeirah Golf Estates, creating a major new east-west connection across the city.

The line will connect with Dubai Metro’s existing Red and Green lines, while also providing integration with the planned Etihad Rail passenger network. These interfaces are expected to make the Gold Line an important component of Dubai’s wider multimodal transportation system.

The project is targeted for completion and inauguration on September 9, 2032. The main tender is planned for 2026, with contract award targeted for 2027.

Integrated Design-and-Build Contract

The proposed main contract is expected to encompass a comprehensive range of railway development activities, including civil works, tunnels, stations, electromechanical systems, rolling stock and rail systems.

The selected contractor is also expected to provide assistance with systems maintenance and operations during an initial three-year period. The integrated nature of the project will require close coordination between tunnelling, station construction, railway systems, rolling stock and commissioning activities.

According to Mrs. Mamta Shah, MD & CEO, Urban Infra Group, the Gold Line represents a significant evolution of Dubai’s metro expansion strategy.

“The Dubai Metro Gold Line is a major integrated urban rail project in which infrastructure delivery and systems integration will need to progress as one coordinated programme. Its connections with the existing Red and Green lines and Etihad Rail make early systems assurance, interface management and commissioning planning particularly important. The project also demonstrates Dubai’s continued commitment to expanding high-capacity, sustainable urban mobility.”

Aecom Supporting Project Development

The RTA had selected US-based engineering consultancy Aecom in October 2025 to provide consultancy services for the Gold Line project.

Aecom’s assignment is structured across multiple stages, covering concept design, preliminary design, preparation of tender documents, construction supervision, and the defects and liability period. The consultancy role is expected to support the project through its development and eventual implementation phases.

Execution Challenges Beyond Tunnelling

Although the Gold Line will be fully underground, its execution will involve a complex range of engineering and interface challenges. The eventual delivery consortium will need to coordinate geotechnical risk, utility diversions, tunnel boring machine launch and retrieval, station-box construction, rail systems installation and rolling stock integration within a single implementation programme.

The interfaces with operating Dubai Metro lines and the future Etihad Rail passenger service add another layer of complexity. Systems assurance, access planning, testing and commissioning strategies will therefore need to be incorporated during the design phase rather than being treated as activities following completion of civil works.

Prequalification Before Main Contract Award

The October 9 deadline is an important step towards identifying the contractors capable of delivering the Gold Line, but several major milestones remain ahead. The prequalified contractors and consortiums, final shortlist, detailed contract-package structure, commercial and financing model and exact construction-start date have not yet been disclosed.

The AED 34 billion figure represents the officially announced overall project investment and should not be treated as the value of a separately defined construction contract or as evidence of a disclosed financing close.

With the main tender planned for 2026 and contract award targeted for 2027, the prequalification process will establish the competitive field for the next stage of the project. If delivered as planned, the Gold Line will become one of Dubai’s most significant additions to its metro network, strengthening connectivity across established communities, emerging development zones and major transport systems ahead of its targeted 2032 inauguration.