Commuters passing through one of the Red Line’s busiest stops now have a fresh route in and out of the building. Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority has put a temporary staircase into service near Exit 1 of the Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Metro Station, a stopgap meant to keep passengers moving while construction reshapes the entrance.
Signage has been installed around the affected area, and station maps now mark the revised access paths so riders can navigate the detour without confusion. RTA staff are stationed on-site to point people in the right direction and answer questions during the works.
The station handles heavy daily loads. Ridership climbed from 6.13 million passengers in 2013 to 10.58 million in 2024, with close to 58,000 people boarding and getting off there each day. Those numbers spike sharply around New Year’s Eve and public holidays, when Downtown Dubai fills with crowds heading to the tower and the mall. Emirates 24|7
The staircase is one of several adjustments tied to the overhaul. Earlier in July, according to Emirates 24|7, the authority shut the station’s bus and taxi service road, reserving the existing lane for construction traffic and setting up an alternative parking zone near Exit 1 for arriving passengers. That closure is scheduled to stay in place through the end of 2026.
The broader project dates back to a plan announced in mid-2025 and carried forward under an agreement between the RTA and Emaar Properties. Turkish contractor Mapa Group is handling the main construction, which, as MEED reported, involves tearing down the current pod entrance and replacing it with a three-story building linked to the Dubai Mall bridge at concourse level and connected directly to the Rashidiya-bound platform.
Once finished, the rebuilt station is designed to lift hourly capacity from 7,250 to 12,320 travelers, a 65 percent jump, and to accommodate roughly 220,000 riders a day. The concourse and platform areas will grow, entry and exit gates will be separated to smooth passenger flow, and additional escalators and hydraulic lifts will be added throughout, along with ten new retail units at concourse level.
