Elon Musk’s Boring Company has received official approval to construct the ‘Dubai Loop’, a 10.6-mile (17 km) tunnel network designed to transport up to 20,000 passengers each hour at speeds reaching 100 miles per hour (160 km/h). This ambitious project aims to ease traffic congestion in the city and promises to significantly reduce travel times between key locations to mere minutes.

The announcement came during a video call at the World Government Summit, where Musk was joined by Dubai’s AI Minister Omar Al Olama. Musk expressed his enthusiasm about the project, suggesting that once people experience the system, they would find it remarkably impressive, likening it to a “wormhole” that connects different parts of the city swiftly.

The Boring Company recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Dubai to initiate a pilot stage for this city-wide transportation network. Although the specific route has yet to be disclosed, Musk’s plans indicate that the initial phase will include 11 stations. The company intends to expand the system further, with the ultimate goal of integrating the loop throughout the entire Emirate of Dubai, potentially accommodating as many as 100,000 passengers.

The design of the loop differs from traditional subway systems; it operates more like an underground highway. Electric vehicles will enter the tunnel from surface-level stations and travel directly to their destinations without stopping at each station, which theoretically allows for higher speeds compared to conventional subway trains. However, it remains uncertain whether passengers will be allowed to use their own vehicles or must rely on those provided by Tesla, as is the case in the existing Vegas Loop.

While Musk claims that the tunnel could achieve top speeds of 100 miles per hour (160 km/h), the current Vegas Loop operates at a maximum speed of 40 miles per hour (64 km/h). Furthermore, despite the promise of reducing road congestion, the Vegas Loop has faced issues with traffic jams during peak times.

Currently, there is no established timeline for the construction of the Dubai Loop or when it will begin operation. The Boring Company has faced delays with the Vegas Loop, which was approved for 104 stations across 68 miles (110 km) of tunnels but has only added two stations since its initial pilot project in 2021. If the Dubai Loop follows a similar development pace, it could take several years before the project is fully operational.