At 9pm tonight, five train compartments will make their way from Mall of the Emirates to Rashidiya, propelling Dubai into the annals of history.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, inaugurating Dubai's Metro rail network tonight, will fittingly see another dynamic aspect of his vision for the emirate come into reality.

Sheikh Mohammed is expected to enjoy the Metro's inaugural ride along with an elite company of 42 other occupants, among them members of the royal family, ministers, business leaders and, of course, Emirates Business.

The culmination of a vision and the commitment to quality development – and sheer hard work – makes the Metro a monumental achievement. It is the first mass rapid urban transit system of its kind in the region.

The Metro will be open to public from tomorrow onwards.

However, it is today, 09/09/09, that will forever remain etched in the memory of the Dubai faithful – the day the Metro began.