(by Alessandra Antonelli) (ANSAmed) - DUBAI - Part efficient modern transport and part tourist attraction, the Palm Jumeirah Monorail takes just eight minutes of travel, suspended between sky and sea, to get from the coast of Dubai to the external crescent - a silent dart which runs along ''the palm's trunk''. The monorail - which will be open to the public beginning this weekend - is an absolute novelty in the region's transport. Nakheel's executive director, Marwan al Qamzi, said ''We chose it because accident reports indicated it was the safest means of travel, it is safe and sustainable, and it also offers a wonderful opportunity for tourism''. The monorail project was designed by the development giant which already boasts control of more than half of the residential property in Dubai, including Palm Jumeirah. Realized in conjunction with the Marubeni Corporation, with a 300 million euro investment, the monorail will eventually be integrated into Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority's (RTA) metro and tram system. Qamzi estimated the new tram system would not be fully integrated before 2012. In the meantime, tourists and residents headed to Atlantis, the Palma's mega-hotel which includes the much-discussed Acqua Venture Park, may leave their cars or taxis at the Gateway Station, reaching the island's edge while enjoying a 360-degree view of the sea and the various other wonders of Dubai. The sea theme, already pervasive in the Palm's general concept, is emphasized in the trains: streaked in blue on the outside, blue seating and interiors, with small waves covering the upholstery. In all there are three trains, each with three cabins, currently travelling from 8.00am until 10.00pm, leaving every six minutes. Once working at full capacity, the monorail will see six fully automated shuttles running across the 5.4km stretch, with an hourly capacity of 6,000 passengers. The tram's two intermediary stops - the Palm Mall and the Trump Tower - have been temporarily put on hold due to slowed finances and the economic crisis. The stops will begin when the residential areas they were designed to serve will be seen in full function. Qamzi has said he foresees the growth of the monorail to steadily parallel the general grown of Palm Jumeirah and the whole of Dubai. (ANSAmed).