Yes, there it is. The Dubai Tram.Looks pretty sleek, modern and cool, doesn't it? The Dubai Tram was opened on 11th November 2014 and runs for 14.5 kilometres from near the Dubai Marina to near the Mall of the Emirates. It's part of Dubai's relatively new 'integrated' transport network.
It's a great idea, is relatively cheap, safe and clean, and a lot of people use it everyday. It seems to be fairly popular, and is great for tourists travelling around the Marina and surrounding areas. It also has plenty of records to its name, including the first air-conditioned tram stations, first stations with platform scren doors and first in the world with 'gold class' cabins.
There is one downside though, and that is the speed. The tram is simply, massively, massively slow. I have been walking down the Marina area, and some days this means that I'm moving almost faster than the tram. In fact, if I run, then it is possible to go as fast, or a bit faster than the tram.
There is one downside though, and that is the speed. The tram is simply, massively, massively slow. I have been walking down the Marina area, and some days this means that I'm moving almost faster than the tram. In fact, if I run, then it is possible to go as fast, or a bit faster than the tram.
In case you are wondering that all trams run at this speed, then that is not the case. Budapest, for example, has a tram (see left) that whizzes around at much higher speeds than the Dubai tram. It may not look as sleek, but it goes far faster, and runs for a longer distance.This one is powered by overhead wires, rather than power from beneath the road, but maybe this allows for a faster speed, even if it looks slightly more unsightly.
In any case, back to Dubai. Another problem is that the tram causes massive tailbacks. If you live in the Marina area, you frequently have to pause at certain traffic lights, for longer than usual in order to allow the tram to turn right. It can be very annoying, and is an additional problem during rush hour, when traffic is heaviest. Why this wasn't thought of during the design stages, I do not know.
Anyways, it's a welcome addition to Dubai, and hopefully over the coming months and years, these issues will be ironed out.
UPDATE: I have been using the tram for the last few weeks on a daily basis, and it really isn't so bad. I do wish though that the tram drivers wouldn't state the name of the next station, and then play the automated - next station - jingle. It's a bit pointless. Just play the automated one.
LA to Asia
No comments:
Post a Comment