I DITCHED MY CAR TO TAKE THE METRO

shady Fekry, Egyptian, Jumeirah Lakes Towers resident Daily journey: from Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT) to BurJuman

Luckily, my home and workplace are close to metro stations, so I ditched my car two years ago to take the metro everyday from my home in Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT) to my workplace in BurJuman. Taking the ride from the DMCC Metro Station to the BurJuman takes me 45 minutes sharp, and at no point is my trip interrupted or delayed. The metro comes to the station every three minutes and I can predict exactly how long will my journey take, keeping in mind the crowded metro stations.

When I had a car, my daily work trip was never sharp. It used to vary depending on accidents and traffic. Also, I had to deal with fines that were easy to earn. Parking woes in town also took additional hours of my time and energy.

In the metro, however, it is unlikely you would spend an extra dime beside your trip costs unless you’re sleeping or chewing gum during your ride.

Taking the metro overall has been cheap and convenient, as I dedicate about Dh200 to my silver Nol card per month, which is the same amount I used to pay for refueling my car once a month. Having a metro directly to the Dubai Airports is extremely thoughtful. While travelling, you only pay Dh4.5 or Dh8 maximum just to get to the airport. However, residents who do not live next to metro stations or want to arrive to a place that has no direct station would face difficulties in their daily commute.

We still need an integrated public transport system that reaches to every place in town.

Fekry’s journey

> Cost per month: Dh220 (Dh5per trip)

> Time: 45 minutes during peak and non-peak hours

A Car’s journey

Cost per month:

> salik toll gates: Dh352 (if the journey is through Sheikh Zayed Road)

> Average car loan: Dh1,000 a month

> Fuel consumption: Dh412 Total (excluding car fines and insurance): Dh1,764

> Time (during peak hours): 45 minutes via Sheikh Zayed Road and 51 minutes via Al Khail Road > non-peak hours: 23 minutes via Sheikh Zayed Road 28 minutes Via Al Khail Road