Middle East business information

The number of passengers using Dubai metro is about 40% higher than had been expected prior to the launch of the rail service, the Roads and Transport Authority has said. Nearly three million passengers have used the metro in its first two months at an average of 57,000 trips per day, said Peyman Parham, Director of Marketing and Corporate Communications, RTA. Some days the numbers are as high as 90,000 to 100,000, he added. "The daily number has been lower on week days and higher on weekends, averaging at about 57,000 per day. But there were a few days when it went to 90,000 to 100,000. The total number is 40 per cent higher than we expected," he said.