Dubai Metro’s AC overhaul: What RTA is doing to keep summer riders cool

Image credit: Dubai Media Office/Website

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), through its Rail Agency, has completed Phase 2 of a major ventilation and air conditioning (VAC) overhaul across stations on the Red and Green Lines of the Dubai Metro.

Read-Dubai Metro Blue Line construction: Traffic diversions announced

The project is part of RTA’s Strategic Plan 2024–2030, focusing on passenger comfort, operational efficiency, customer satisfaction, and long-term sustainability of assets. It also aligns with RTA’s broader vision to be a global leader in seamless and sustainable mobility, a WAM report said.

This milestone underscores the partnership between RTA and Keolis-MHI, the Dubai Metro and Tram operator, in maintaining service excellence—especially during the city’s demanding summer season.

876 assets upgraded across 14 stations

Phase 2 saw the overhaul of 876 VAC assets across 14 stations and two car parks along the Red Line. Notably, the project was completed without any disruption to train operations. This builds on the success of Phase 1, which covered 261 assets across 13 stations.

The 10-month program was carefully scheduled during off-peak hours and night shifts to ensure smooth station operations and uninterrupted service for commuters.

Next phase to focus on energy efficiency

Preparations are already underway for Phase 3, which will target the remaining 25% of public-area fan coil units (FCUs) and air handling units (AHUs) located in back-of-house and critical rooms across Red Line stations. Testing and verification work began in mid-July 2025.

The RTA is continuing its VAC Enhancement Project with a focus on energy optimisation and a potential shift toward variable flow technology—part of a broader effort to enhance sustainability and reduce energy consumption system-wide.