ETIHAD Rail has successfully operated the first mainline passenger service in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), running on the 250km route between Abu Dhabi and Al Dhannah on January 25.
The trains are used by employees of national oil company Adnoc under a strategic agreement signed by Adnoc and Etihad Rail in December.
“The development of passenger rail services between Abu Dhabi City and Al Dhannah City aims to connect the UAE’s main centres of trade, industry, manufacturing, production, logistics and population,” says Dr Al Jaber, UAE minister of industry and advanced technology and managing director and group chief executive of Adnoc, who was among the first passengers.
“The Etihad Rail project is more than just a rail network, it will serve as a vital artery for economic growth and infrastructure development while driving decarbonisation, for the benefit of the UAE and its people.”
Freight operations began on the UAE’s $US 14bn network in February 2023. The 1200km network stretches from Ghuweifat on the border with Saudi Arabia in the east to Fujairah in the west, connecting four major ports and seven logistics zones.
No dates have been confirmed for the start of public passenger services, which are expected to connect 11 cities across the UAE. Etihad Rail envisages a 50-minute journey time between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and 1h 40min from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah.
The company ordered a fleet of 200km/h diesel push-pull trains from CAF in June 2022. The trains have capacity for up to 400 passengers and will be equipped with Wi-Fi and air-conditioning.
A luxury train service has also been announced in partnership between Etihad Rail and Italian tour operator Arsenale. The 15-car trains will run from Fujairah to the Liwa desert in Abu Dhabi. No launch date has been confirmed.
