Etihad Rail, the United Arab Emirates’ nationwide railway community, is about to launch a UAE passenger rail service someday in 2026. The service wouldn’t solely present a brand new possibility throughout the nation’s mobility community, however it could additionally hyperlink Dubai and Abu Dhabi in simply 50 minutes.
Up till now, Etihad Rail has been concentrating its efforts on freight transportation because it turned operational in 2016. Nevertheless, with the rail infrastructure in place, the corporate is now trying to develop its companies to passenger transport.
The primary rail community to be opened spans over 900 kilometres and hyperlinks 11 cities, corresponding to Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah. It will likely be opened in phases, with Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, and Fujairah to be the primary to turn into operational.
The UAE’s preliminary passenger rail routes join the capital, Abu Dhabi with Dubai, and prolong to Fujairah by an built-in rail community that helps financial exercise and provides passengers a brand new, dependable method to journey between emirates. pic.twitter.com/3akhfWLHIP
— Etihad Rail (@Etihad_Rail) February 2, 2026
The route will deploy 13 trains, every of which can be capable to transport as much as 400 passengers. The trains embody fashionable options corresponding to ergonomic seating, smooth inside design, Wi-Fi, and particular person energy retailers. If all goes in line with plan, by 2030, the service ought to rely 36.5 million annual travellers.
“We’ve geared up the community with a next-generation fleet and superior applied sciences, in partnership with main worldwide operators, to make sure the very best requirements of high quality, reliability, and security,” mentioned Azza AlSuwaidi, deputy CEO at Etihad Rail.
Led by H.H. Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Board of Administrators of Etihad Rail held a gathering on the Abu Dhabi Passenger Station in Mohammed Bin Zayed Metropolis to overview progress throughout the UAE’s nationwide rail community and the corporate’s readiness for the launch of… pic.twitter.com/5fGHdPMTsm
— Etihad Rail (@Etihad_Rail) January 30, 2026
With a velocity of as much as 200 kilometres per hour, the rail connection will present the quickest hyperlink between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, taking simply 50 minutes to finish. On the time of writing, travelling between the 2 cities needs to be finished by automotive or by bus, taking an hour and a half.
“Our trains have been designed to supply a dependable, congestion-free different for intercity journey, with a deal with decreasing journey occasions. Ten of the 13 trains in our fleet have arrived, the place they’ve been examined and licensed to the very best worldwide security and high quality requirements. This achievement is the results of three years of intensive planning, design, and supply, with complete working hours reaching 24.5 million and the involvement of greater than 7,000 consultants and employees”, acknowledged Mohammed Alshehii, chief initiatives officer at Etihad Rail.
Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed has chaired @Etihad_Rail’s board assembly on the Abu Dhabi passenger station in Mohamed bin Zayed Metropolis and reviewed developments of the UAE’s nationwide rail community and the passenger practice challenge, scheduled to begin operations in 2026. pic.twitter.com/ZoNvF9aSiF
– Abu Dhabi Media Workplace (@ADMediaOffice) January 30, 2026
The Etihad Rail passenger service is predicted not solely to enhance mobility between cities, but in addition to spice up tourism and to assist cut back the nation’s CO2 emissions. The route must be operational earlier than the top of 2026, though no exact opening date has been shared but on the time of writing.
