Etihad Rail’s new passenger service will transform public transport in the UAE and reduce travel time between Dubai and Abu Dhabi to just 30 minutes.
Tired of taking a bus ride or driving to reach Abu Dhabi from Dubai and back? Etihad Rail promises to make that a thing of the distant past.
A high-speed passenger rail service will slash the journey time between Abu Dhabi and Dubai to 30 minutes. Trains will run up to 350kph on a route that passes through major destinations and tourist hotspots.
The new electrified line will feature 6 stations at —
- Reem Island
- Yas Island
- Saadiyat Island
- Zayed Airport
- A close to Al Maktoum Airport in Dubai
- Jaddaf near Dubai Creek
Although construction is yet to begin, and a date for the launch of services has not been announced, contract tenders have been issued. Network designs have also been approved.
The announcement was made at Al Faya Depot in Abu Dhabi in the presence of Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, and Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Defence.
Typically, a high-speed train can carry 400 passengers. However, trains running along this route could reach 600 mph.
It has not been announced whether this new line will be integrated with the regular Etihad Rail line, which will use diesel locomotives. Also, the fare structure and the project’s construction cost have not been revealed.
The project will reduce pressure on busy UAE roads. Moreover, it will be beneficial for transport, tourism, commerce, and real estate domains across both emirates. The high-speed train is projected to contribute AED 145 billion ($40 billion) to the UAE’s GDP in the next five decades.
As per Etihad Rail, traveling on the regular line from Abu Dhabi to Dubai will take 57 minutes and 105 minutes from the capital to Fujairah.
