A high-speed passenger rail service between Abu Dhabi and Dubai is set to become a reality, it was announced on Thursday.
Detailing the plans, Abu Dhabi Media Office said the new line from Etihad Rail would cut the journey time between the two emirates to 30 minutes.
Trains will run at up to 350kph on a route that will pass through "key destinations and tourist attractions".
The new high-speed electrified line will feature six stations at Reem Island, Yas Island, Saadiyat Island, Zayed Airport, close to Al Maktoum Airport in Dubai and Jaddaf, near Dubai Creek, Etihad Rail said.
Construction has yet to start and a date for the launch of services was not revealed but tenders for contracts have been issued and network designs approved, Etihad Rail said.
Thursday's announcement at Al Faya Depot in Abu Dhabi was witnessed by 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.
The project reflects the nation's vision to advance national infrastructure and elevate mobility services to the highest standards, state news agency Wam reported Sheikh Khaled as saying. He added that the high-speed trains would bolster the UAE’s global competitiveness, support sustainable development and solidify the nation’s position as a global model for progress.
The project will transform the daily commute between Abu Dhabi and Dubai to enhance the lives of citizens, residents and tourists, Sheikh Hamdan said.
Sebastien Mangeant, executive director for high speed at Etihad Rail, told The National that people could expect a high-frequency service to enable commuters to reach their destination safer, faster and avoiding driving for long periods.
“This is really the main appeal of this and ... of course the safety of the rail, which you can't beat," he said. "And the support for tourism.”
Designs of the stations and their precise locations have yet to be revealed but more areas than those outlined on Thursday could be served. “It's not the end of the adventure,” said Mr Mangeant. “It's just a phase one."
He said a typical high-speed train can carry 400 passengers but this could go as high as 600 depending on the stock which has not yet been selected.
The high-speed project is separate from the previously announced Etihad Rail passenger service, in which trains will travel at 200kph carrying up to 400 passengers when the service is launched. That regular service also uses the same network as the UAE’s freight trains.
It has yet to be disclosed whether the high-speed line will be integrated with the regular Etihad Rail line, which will use diesel locomotives.
Mr Mangeant said the high-speed line is “not a stand-alone project in itself” and “you don't want to arrive in the middle of nowhere and then have no link”. While both can be integrated in certain ways, “they are different animals”.
“We don't know yet,” he said. “We're not announcing anything right now.” But he did say a considerable amount of work was being done to ensure passengers had a seamless experience. “We're taking care of this,” he added.
It has yet known how much fares will cost. Nor was a cost for the construction of the line disclosed – high-speed rail networks tend to be significantly more expensive than regular lines. However, they reduce travel times and also lead to less congestion and lower emissions.
Currently, the only way of travelling between the emirates is by car or bus.
“We're not announcing anything such as planning and cost right now,” Mr Mangeant said.
According to the International Railway Journal, the cost of high-speed lines in Europe designed for operation at 300kph or faster is estimated to be $25 million-$39 million per km and as high as $52 million per km in California. In other countries it can be more cost effective.
The project will also relieve pressure on busy UAE roads and has the potential to transform transport, commerce, tourism and even property prices across both emirates. Officials say the high-speed train is expected to contribute Dh145 billion ($40 billion) to the UAE's GDP in the next five decades.
First passenger stations
Also announced on Thursday were the first four passenger stations on the regular line to be built in the UAE, in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and Fujairah. Two in Sharjah and Fujairah had already been announced.
The stations will integrate with Metro and bus lines, and be equipped with business-class lounges, shops and family-friendly amenities. A model of a station was on display at Al Faya Depot showing a distinctive concrete facade.
“This is the look and feel of the conventional stations," said Mr Mangeant. "The model is your typical station look and feel.”
Also on display was a new passenger train, which is expected to be one that carries people across the UAE when the regular service is launched.
Inside the feel is slick and sleek, with three classes including a separate business-class section. Walking through the train, Mr Mangeant was inspired by the scale of the project. “It's a dream come true," he said.
The network
The main Etihad Rail passenger network will link 11 cities and regions across the country. No date has been confirmed for when the UAE-wide passenger service will start.
Etihad Rail has previously announced travelling from Abu Dhabi to Dubai on the regular line will take 57 minutes, while a journey from the capital to Fujairah will take 105 minutes. Officials have said they expect more than 36 million people a year to be using the service by 2030.
Etihad Rail’s freight network is already up and running.
Trains to Oman
A railway connecting the UAE with Oman is also planned. Hafeet Rail, a joint venture between Etihad Rail, Oman Rail and Mubadala Investment Company, is developing the project.
The network will connect Sohar, via Sohar Port, to Abu Dhabi. Trains are estimated to take 1 hour 40 minutes from Abu Dhabi to Sohar, and only 47 minutes from Al Ain to Sohar.
A start date for this service has also yet to be announced.
The Etihad Rail network - in pictures
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The specs
Price: From Dh529,000
Engine: 5-litre V8
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Power: 520hp
Torque: 625Nm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.8L/100km
The years Ramadan fell in May
RESULT
Esperance de Tunis 1 Guadalajara 1
(Esperance won 6-5 on penalties)
Esperance: Belaili 38’
Guadalajara: Sandoval 5’
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
States of Passion by Nihad Sirees,
Pushkin Press
Crime%20Wave
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FROM%20THE%20ASHES
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
THE%20SPECS
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Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
French Touch
Carla Bruni
(Verve)
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
UAE%20SQUAD
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T20 World Cup Qualifier, Muscat
UAE FIXTURES
Friday February 18: v Ireland
Saturday February 19: v Germany
Monday February 21: v Philippines
Tuesday February 22: semi-finals
Thursday February 24: final
Frankenstein in Baghdad
Ahmed Saadawi
Penguin Press
Super Rugby play-offs
Quarter-finals
- Hurricanes 35, ACT 16
- Crusaders 17, Highlanders 0
- Lions 23, Sharks 21
- Chiefs 17, Stormers 11
Semi-finals
Saturday, July 29
- Crusaders v Chiefs, 12.35pm (UAE)
- Lions v Hurricanes, 4.30pm
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
