As of October 1, 2025, the UAE and Oman’s bold cross-border Hafeet Rail undertaking is nearing completion, marking a significant step ahead in regional rail integration. The 238-kilometre community connecting Abu Dhabi to Oman’s Sohar Port is now over midway constructed, and is poised to reshape freight and passenger transport throughout the Gulf.
Progress replace – Building nears the end line The Hafeet Rail undertaking, often known as UAE-Oman rail, which formally launched on April 23, 2024, is making fast development progress, in response to Etihad Rail CEO Shadi Malak. Talking throughout a panel on the World Rail occasion in Abu Dhabi, Malak confirmed that the cross-border railway is “nearly near the end line,” with development at present between 50–70 p.c full. The undertaking is being spearheaded by Hafeet Rail Firm, a three way partnership between Etihad Rail, Mubadala, and Oman’s Asyad Group. It represents the first-ever cross-border railway community within the area, aiming to immediately join the UAE and Oman through a contemporary, built-in rail system. The development part has seen substantial momentum in each nations. As of Could 2025, groundwork, railbed preparation, and main structural works, notably on bridges and tunnels, have been actively underway, as reported by Zawya Initiatives. The road will finally be able to dealing with passenger and freight operations, supporting a brand new period of streamlined cross-border mobility. In parallel, Etihad Rail can also be increasing home connections, with its first freight service linking DP World in Dubai to Abu Dhabi and Fujairah anticipated to launch inside two weeks, as revealed by Malak.
UAE-Oman Rail: Boosting commerce, tourism, and cross-border logisticsThe UAE-Oman rail community serves as a vital a part of the GCC’s imaginative and prescient for a unified transport and logistics chain, delivering shared financial and strategic worth. By linking the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi with Sohar Port—one in all Oman’s key maritime hubs—the undertaking will considerably improve cross-border commerce, industrial connectivity, and logistics movement between the 2 nations. The railway is predicted to bolster a variety of sectors together with: Mining Iron and Metal Agriculture and Meals Retail and E-commerce Petrochemicals As soon as absolutely operational, every freight prepare might be able to transporting over 15,000 tonnes of cargo, equal to round 270 normal containers in a single journey. Past cargo, Hafeet Rail can also be designed to play a central position in passenger mobility, with the potential to remodel tourism and enterprise journey between the UAE and Oman. The undertaking is predicted to assist greater than 12 passenger stations, enhancing entry to main cities in each nations. It additionally aligns with broader tourism methods that place every nation as the opposite’s first port of name.
Challenge infrastructure – Engineering at scale The size and complexity of the Hafeet Rail infrastructure displays the importance of the undertaking. The 238-kilometre community will assist prepare speeds of as much as 200 km/h and incorporates a complete array of civil engineering and security programs, together with: 2,500 metres of tunnels 36 viaducts 21 over-bridges 39 under-passes 881 culverts To make sure excessive security and operational requirements, the undertaking will make the most of the European Practice Management System (ETCS Degree 2) and have fiber optics connectivity for superior communication and monitoring. The community’s design may even hyperlink 5 main ports and over 15 built-in freight amenities, enabling seamless intermodal motion between street, sea, and rail logistics corridors.
Investments and contracting: Multi-billion dirham dedication In April 2024, Hafeet Rail awarded three main civil works packages valued at a mixed AED 5.5 billion (USD 1.5 billion). The contracts have been granted to a consortium consisting of: Nationwide Initiatives Building (NPC) Nationwide Infrastructure Building Firm (NICC) Tristar Engineering & Building Galfar Engineering & Contracting (Oman-based)
Trying forward With development now between 50–70% full, the following tangible milestones for the Hafeet Rail undertaking embrace observe set up, programs integration, and testing of freight operations. Preliminary freight providers—anticipated to maneuver over 15,000 tonnes per prepare—might be prioritized forward of passenger operations. Testing and commissioning phases are anticipated to start by early 2026, with phased operational rollouts prone to observe shortly after. As of October 2025, each governments are advancing coordination on border infrastructure, customs integration, and terminal readiness to make sure seamless cross-border performance as soon as providers start.
