UAE passenger train to begin service...

Etihad Rail network will connect Dubai, Abu Dhabi and other emirates

Etihad Rail, the national railway of the UAE, has said its much-anticipated passenger service will begin operations in 2026, connecting hotspots Abu Dhabi and Dubai and eventually all emirates.

The first railway network in the country, it could revolutionise public transport and increase access to parts of the UAE that are currently only reachable by car, with the number of passengers expected to reach 36.5 million annually.

The 900km-long Etihad Rail passenger train network will connect 11 cities across the seven emirates in the UAE, with each train carrying 400 passengers and running up to 200km per hour. Travel time between Dubai and Fujairah will take just 50 minutes.

There will be four stations, in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and Fujairah, with Sakamkam in Fujairah city the first to be built.

Etihad Rail has also said it will introduce a high-speed passenger service running up to 350km per hour linking Dubai and Abu Dhabi with a reduced travel time of 30 minutes.

Beyond connecting the emirates, Etihad Rail’s network will eventually reach into neighbouring countries including Oman and Saudi Arabia, part of a wider GCC Railway that aims to connect Oman, the UAE, Saudi, Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait.

This is set to provide a huge boost to intra-GCC tourism, linking UAE travel hotspots such as Dubai with Muscat in Oman, Doha in Qatar and Riyadh and Jeddah in Saudi, and providing a land link from the Indian Ocean to the Arabian Gulf and Red Sea.

Supporting this is the GCC Grand Tours Visa, which allows travellers to visit one or all six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and is expected to launch in 2025.

The luxury sector has been quick to recognise the opportunity, with Saudi's Dream of the Desert set to become the first five-star service in the Middle East.

The train is a collaboration between SAR and Italian hospitality company Arsenale, and promises to combine luxurious travel with immersive cultural experiences. It will consist of 14 carriages with 34 suites, with interiors inspired by traditional Saudi architecture and motifs, and is due to welcome first passengers in Q3 2026.

For more information, visit www.etihadrail.ae

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