Excitement builds for Etihad Rail’s Abu Dhabi-Dubai launch

• September start for 57-minute journey
• ‘One of most anticipated routes’
• Fujairah-Abu Dhabi starts on June 30

The UAE’s first intercity passenger railway service will begin operating between Fujairah and Abu Dhabi on June 30, but attention is already turning to the network’s most anticipated route: the link between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, due to open in September.

The September service will connect Abu Dhabi’s Mohamed bin Zayed City station with a new station at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai, cutting journey times between the Gulf state’s two largest cities to 57 minutes, compared to a 90-plus minute car journey.

A future station at Dubai South will reduce the journey to around 30 minutes, officials said on Thursday at the launch of the passenger network.

“It’s one of the most anticipated routes,” said Adhraa Al Mansouri, executive director of commercial at Etihad Rail Authority. “That specific route will bring a different commercial angle into the way people use rail in the UAE. We expect more commuters.”

The launch of passenger services marks a significant milestone for Etihad Rail, which has until now focused on freight operations.

It hopes the network will attract both tourists and business travellers by offering free wifi, power outlets and airline-style seating.

“We want people to think about us as a better option [than driving],” said AlMansouri.

The Abu Dhabi-Fujairah service has already generated strong demand, with more than 1,000 tickets sold on the first day.

“One of the sections was sold out within three seconds,” Al Mansouri said. “People understand that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. This is something historic.”

The operator will initially run three daily services from Abu Dhabi and three from Fujairah, with the journey taking just under two hours and each train capable of carrying up to 400 passengers.

The Fujairah station, located about 12 minutes from Fujairah International Airport, is the first in the network to be completed

The Dubai launch in September will coincide with the official opening of the station in Al Dhaid, on the outskirts of Sharjah. The Al Dhafra station is scheduled to open on December 30, while Sharjah’s station will be operational from March 30, 2027. In total, the network will include 11 stations.

• Work completed on Etihad’s passenger train station in Fujairah
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• Etihad Rail picks France’s Keolis for passenger train operations

The company expects the wider railway network to generate more than AED200 billion ($55 billion) in economic benefits by 2050, including around AED23 billion from tourism.

Analysts told AGBI last year the rail project is expected to be a major economic catalyst and could drive up property prices as much as 25 percent near the planned stations, as investors capitalise on improved connectivity and new development opportunities.

“I think the real opportunities for a broad range of developers will be what can we develop along the way,” said Taimur Khan, head of research at real-estate management firm JLL Mena.

“There are vast stretches of land in the middle which are well located and actually have great development potential.”