Dubai’s metro rail opened (grandly - how else) today. Construction on the system will continue, but as of today residents and tourists can take the train along Sheikh Zayed road. Yale graduate student Tabitha Decker points out, rightly, that the metro’s significance as evidence of investment in public goods represents a slightly different Dubai than the seven-star-hotel image. Of course, the fact that you can choose to ride first class on the subway for a fare several times more expensive than the base cost offers a counterpoint, but that does not make it not a public good.
Another counterpoint, which the article points out, is that one crucial element of public transportation is the fact that people walk from their homes to the places where they board it. Dubai is not known for its pedestrian friendly environment - weatherwise or sidewalkwise. Perhaps investment in one public good will point out the importance of investing in others.
No matter your views - check out the photos.
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A one zone ride in the famed “Gold Class” costs roughly 1 USD vs. 50 cents for the same ride in standard class. In a city where the minimum taxi fare is about $2.75, the “Gold Class” is still affordable for many, especially those out there riding the Metro for fun right now. This “Gold Class” section only constitutes about 10% of the train and was packed with people testing out the new Metro during opening weekend.
The Paris Metro included a first class car for much of its history. This car was only discontinued in the early 1990s.
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