The Dubai Metro will be officially inaugurated on September 9th and is expected to increase the values of nearby properties. Though growth has slowed in the emirate recently, it is still expanding rapidly. Residents and visitors will be able to get around the city and emirate much easier with the new, modern Metro Line.

The Metro''s Red Line will be the first to open and will have 10 stations when it opens, with a total of 30 stops when complete. The line begins at Rashidiya and has a stop at Terminal 3 of the Dubai International Airport before that will be open initially. The line will run through the city center and along the Sheikh Zayed Road. The line will eventually run to Jebel Ali, but the first stations to open will be City Center, Al Rigga, Union, Khalid bin Al Waleed, Jafiliya, Financial Center, Mall of the Emirates, and Nakheel Harbour & Tower. The Green Line is also under construction and will have 18 stations along Dubai Creek.

"Currently, an average premium of five percent is commanded by properties close to the Metro," said Vineet Kumar of Asteco Property Management in Emirates Business. "The Metro line is a huge attraction to certain communities like Jumeirah Lakes Tower and Dubai Marina. We have already witnessed that developments located in close proximity to the stations attract more buyers."

The Dubai Metro will also have a station at the Burj Dubai. Metro users will have easy access to the world''s tallest building, the largest shopping mall and the tallest fountain. The station is located on Sheikh Zayed Road next to the First Interchange, or Defence Roundabout, and named after the tallest building in the world, the Burj Dubai.

The tower is located in Downtown Burj Dubai and there are a variety of hotels, entertainment centers, residential and business areas in the neighborhood. When complete and populated, there will be some one million people living and working in this part of the city. There is also the world''s largest shopping center, The Dubai Mall. Shoppers and visitors can avoid the hassle of trying to find a parking space by taking the Metro. Once there, they can enjoy 1,200 retail stores and over 150 food outlets and restaurants.