Imagine travelling at 200 km/h, minus the heavy traffic and completing the trip from Abu Dhabi to Dubai in just 57 minutes instead of the usual two hours. This will soon be a reality, as Etihad Rail has announced the journey times for its passenger trains connecting the Capital with two other emirates.
Etihad Rail has revealed the travel times for passenger trains across the UAE. The journey from the capital to Al Ruwais will take just 70 minutes, despite Al Ruwais being 240km away from Abu Dhabi. Additionally, trips from Abu Dhabi to the eastern emirate of Fujairah will take 105 minutes. The authorities will soon unveil more destinations and timings.
The high-tech passenger rail service will connect 11 cities and regions across the UAE, spanning from Al Sila to Fujairah, including Ruwais, Al Mirfa, Sharjah, Al Dhaid, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai. Authorities have already announced two locations of the passenger stations. The first one will be at Sakamkam in Fujairah and the second one will be in Sharjah, University City.
Etihad Rail is gearing up for the launch of its passenger service, with several announcements anticipated in the coming months. Although a launch date is still pending, it is anticipated that once operational, the service is projected to accommodate around 36.5 million passengers annually.
UAE residents got the first glimpse into its highly anticipated passenger trains during the first rail journey between Abu Dhabi city and Al Dhannah region in January 2024. Videos and photos posted recently show the swanky train chugging through the desert railway line.
Interior of passenger train
UAE’s high-tech passenger trains will have swanky coaches with stylish interiors and comfortable grey seats. The rail passenger service flaunts an aerodynamic design, a key feature of high-speed trains.
The coaches, in silver and grey, have different types of seating, similar to the flight classes. The seats are arranged in a 2+2 format across the coaches. Compartments are separated with electric doors, and TV screens display information, such as location and arrival times, in each section of the train.
The train will consist of 15 luxury carriages that will pass through the cosmopolitan cities of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, to the nature destinations of Fujairah, with its sheer mountains right on the border with Oman, and the Liwa desert, with its world-famous oasis, near Mezeiraa train station.
The rail project
The Dh50 billion UAE Railways Programme, launched in December 2021, is the largest integrated system for transporting goods and passengers across the country.
The programme includes a national network of railway projects that link the emirates and the key cities of the country. The programme includes three key projects: Freight Rail, Rail Passenger Services and the Integrated Transportation Service. The programme contributes to providing more than 9,000 jobs in the railway sector and supporting sectors by 2030.
Much of the infrastructure for the railway is already complete, and it has been carrying freight transport since 2023. The fleet of the most modern freight trains in the region includes 38 locomotives, with a capacity of 60 million tons of goods annually, and more than 1,000 multi-purpose vehicles.
Recently, Etihad Rail, the developer and operator of the UAE National Rail Network, unveiled its new brand identity, featuring a revamped logo, mission, vision, and values.
The Etihad Rail updated logo design is inspired by the eye of the falcon, the train silhouette, and the railway track, which embodies a falcon’s agility and speed, its ability to precisely target its goal, and its determination to reach its destination. The logo also reflects the elegant aesthetic that sets Etihad Rail apart, showcasing how it achieves its goals deliberately as well as its long-term, ambitious vision for the future.
