DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AFP) — Dubai has completed its first flying taxi station, with commercial operations expected to begin by the end of the year, authorities in the Gulf emirate announced on Thursday.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, crown prince of Dubai and United Arab Emirates (UAE) deputy prime minister, visited Dubai’s “first purpose-built electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) Air Taxi Station”, the emirate’s media office said in a statement.

The facility, described by the emirate’s authorities as the “first of its kind in the world”, includes four floors with a total area of 3,100 square metres, a two-level car park, two Air Taxi take-off and landing pads and dedicated charging infrastructure.

The station, located near the city’s international airport, will serve as “the main hub for Air Taxi operations” and be able to accommodate up to 170,000 passengers per year, the statement said.

Three more flying taxi stations are planned.

The flights will be operated by Joby Aviation, based in California, which will have exclusive rights for six years.

“The launch of the Air Taxi infrastructure marks an important step in adopting new, sustainable modes of transport and strengthening Dubai’s readiness for the decades ahead,” said Sheikh Hamdan in the statement.

The UAE’s most populous city has established itself as the region’s business and tourism hub.

But it has suffered in recent weeks from attacks launched by Iran against its Gulf neighbours in retaliation for a US-Israeli offensive.

A two-week ceasefire has since come into effect.