A tunnel boring machine is taking shape in Dubai, and that one detail moves the Dubai Loop from paperwork to hardware. On 29 September 2026, the Government of Dubai Media Office confirmed work on assembling the machine. It also confirmed that casting of the concrete segments for the tunnel lining is under way. The update followed a meeting between Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and Steve Davis of The Boring Company.
This matters for anyone who read our 18 September guide, What Dubai Is Actually Building. That piece said no one had confirmed the start of tunnelling. Consider this the update to that line. Assembly of the machine is now under way, and the lining segments are in production. However, nobody has yet announced that digging has begun, and there is still nothing to ride. Below, you will find what changed, what has not, and how to travel between DIFC and Dubai Mall in the meantime.
What Changed on 29 September
The official statement is short, so it is worth reading closely. According to the Media Office, preliminary work and project delivery have continued since the February agreement. Several technical and engineering workstreams are now running in parallel. The statement names two of them: the assembly of the tunnel boring machine and the casting of concrete tunnel-lining segments.
Gulf News covered the meeting on 30 September and added detail from the project information. According to the paper, The Boring Company and the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) will finalise the design as mobilisation begins. The company will also seek about 48 permits and no-objection certificates from around ten entities. Its stated goal is to begin tunnelling in the second half of 2026. Arabian Business reported the same two workstreams, together with the route and cost figures first announced in February.
So here is what you can now treat as confirmed about the Dubai Loop:
- Tunnel boring machine: assembly is under way, according to the Media Office.
- Tunnel lining: casting of the concrete segments is under way. Gulf News says the first phase needs about 25,000 of them.
- Digging: the target is the second half of 2026. That is a goal, not an announced start.
- Opening: nobody has published a date, and there are no fares, hours or tickets.
Where the Dubai Loop Will Run: DIFC to Dubai Mall
Route details come from the RTA announcement of 3 February 2026. Its first phase is a 6.4 km pilot route with four stations, linking Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) with Dubai Mall. Built for vehicles, the 3.6-metre tunnels will carry passengers in electric cars. According to the RTA, the pilot should serve about 13,000 passengers a day.
After that, the full alignment would extend up to 22.2 km with 19 stations. It would connect Dubai World Trade Centre and the financial district with Business Bay. Projected capacity is about 30,000 passengers a day. Some reports round the full route to 22.5 km, yet the RTA’s own figure is 22.2 km, and that is the one we use.
What about station names? In July, Khaleej Times listed four station names: Burj Khalifa, DIFC 2, Zabeel Dubai Mall Parking and ICD Brookfield Place. The RTA has not published a station map of its own, though. Treat those names as working titles rather than signs you will see on opening day.
The money is clear, at least. The RTA puts the first phase at about AED 565 million and the full route at about AED 2 billion. Gulf News and Arabian Business give the dollar equivalents of roughly $154 million and $544 million to $545 million.
Dubai Loop Timeline So Far
Because the dates sit across several announcements, here they are in order:
- 2025: the RTA and The Boring Company sign a study agreement at the World Governments Summit.
- 3 February 2026: an implementation agreement follows at the 2026 summit, covering the DIFC to Dubai Mall pilot.
- 4 May 2026: Parsons wins a nine-month contract for design verification, stakeholder management, permitting and no-objection support on the pilot phase.
- July 2026: Khaleej Times reports, citing The Boring Company, that precast concrete work for phase one is under way.
- 29 September 2026: the Media Office confirms machine assembly and segment casting after Sheikh Hamdan’s meeting.
- Next: the target for tunnelling is the second half of 2026. The pilot then needs about a year of delivery once design and preparations are complete.
In other words, there is still no official opening date. The RTA describes delivery of about one year after design work and preparations finish, and both are still in progress. Therefore any firm opening month you see online is a guess rather than an announcement.
What the Dubai Loop Means for Visitors Right Now
For a holiday or a work trip this autumn, the honest answer is simple: plan as if the Dubai Loop does not exist yet. There is nothing to book, and no operator has published fares or opening hours. We have also not seen any RTA notice of road closures linked to the project. The RTA says the tunnelling method should reduce disruption to roads and utilities. Even so, check its channels before you drive through the area.
There is one common mix-up to avoid. “Future Loop” is a different idea: a 2 km elevated walkway linking Dubai World Trade Centre, the Museum of the Future, Emirates Towers and DIFC. It comes from a Dubai Walk master plan dated 7 December 2024, and we have seen no announcement that building has started. The Museum of the Future is also closed until early 2027. Our Museum of the Future alternatives page is the better guide for that corner of town.
How to Get Between DIFC and Dubai Mall Today
Fortunately, the journey the Dubai Loop pilot will serve is already easy. According to the RTA metro map, Financial Centre (R24) and Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall (R25) are neighbouring stations on the Red Line. That makes it a single stop. From Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall station, follow the signs through the air-conditioned walkway into the mall, as our Dubai Mall guide explains. Tap in and out with a Nol card, and see our Dubai Metro guide for the basics.
Taxis are the other sensible option, especially with shopping bags or after dark. The RTA taxi fare page lists a starting fare of AED 5 from 6am to 10pm and AED 5.50 from 10pm to 6am for street pickups. The distance charge comes on top. Our Dubai taxi guide covers hailing, apps and etiquette.
A quick way to choose:
- Metro: best for most visitors. It is one stop, and the walkway keeps you out of the heat.
- Taxi: best with luggage, small children or late dinners in DIFC.
- Walking: possible on a cool evening, but the Metro is the easier choice in October sunshine.
- Skip: any offer to “ride the Loop”. No passenger service exists yet.
If you are also planning evenings around Downtown, our Downtown Dubai guide and Dubai October 2026 guide will help you fill the rest of the itinerary.
What to Expect Next
The next milestone to watch is the start of tunnelling itself. When that happens, expect an RTA or Media Office announcement, since both have announced the main milestones so far. After that, the details visitors actually need should follow: confirmed station names, fares, operating hours and a first-ride date. Until those appear in official notices, treat the pilot as a construction project, not a transport option.
Meanwhile, our Loop section of What Dubai Is Actually Building still gives the wider picture of what the city is building. Read it together with this update.
Conclusion
The Dubai Loop has taken a real step forward. Work on the tunnel boring machine and the lining segments is under way, and the stated aim is to start tunnelling before the end of 2026. However, the pilot between DIFC and Dubai Mall is not open, has no published opening date and sells no tickets. For now, the Red Line does the same job in one stop. Watch the RTA for the tunnelling announcement. In the meantime, enjoy both ends of the route the ordinary way.
FAQ
Is the Dubai Loop open?
No. There is no passenger service, and nobody has published fares, hours or tickets.
Has Dubai Loop tunnelling started?
Not officially. On 29 September 2026 the Media Office confirmed machine assembly and segment casting. The stated goal is to begin tunnelling in the second half of 2026.
Where will the first phase run?
Between DIFC and Dubai Mall. The RTA describes a 6.4 km pilot route with four stations.
When will the Dubai Loop open?
No one has announced a date. The RTA says the pilot needs about a year of delivery after design work and preparations are complete.
How do I get from DIFC to Dubai Mall now?
Take the Red Line one stop from Financial Centre to Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall, then use the walkway into the mall. Alternatively, take a taxi.
Key Takeaways
- Assembly of the Dubai Loop tunnel boring machine and casting of lining segments are under way (Media Office, 29 September 2026).
- The target for tunnelling is the second half of 2026, but no one has announced a start.
- Phase one runs 6.4 km between DIFC and Dubai Mall with four stations. Longer term, the full plan reaches up to 22.2 km with 19 stations.
- There is no opening date, no ticket and no fare yet.
- Today, the Red Line links Financial Centre and Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall in one stop.
Useful Links
- Government of Dubai Media Office: Sheikh Hamdan meets The Boring Company (29 September 2026)
- Gulf News: tunnelling work moves ahead (30 September 2026)
- Arabian Business: boring machine assembly begins on the $544m tunnel project
- RTA: implementation agreement with The Boring Company (3 February 2026)
- Khaleej Times: precast concrete work begins for phase one (July 2026)
- RTA: Dubai Metro and tram stations map
- What Dubai Is Actually Building: our guide to projects under way
- Dubai Metro: how to ride, zones and Nol cards
- Dubai Mall: our visitor guide
