A senior Emirati police officer enjoyed a scenic route aboard an Etihad Rail train from Dubai to Fujairah, as plans for the launch of passenger services this year gather pace.
Lt Gen Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, Dubai's Deputy Chief of Police and Public Security, hailed the public transport scheme as one of the country's most important infrastructure projects.
He was joined on the trial journey from Al Qudra in Dubai to Al Hilal City Station in Fujairah by Shadi Malak, chief executive of Etihad Rail, Maj Gen Ahmed Al Maqoodi, director general of the office of the Deputy Chief of Police and Public Security, and a number of high-ranking officers and Etihad Rail officials.
Pictures of the trip showed an Etihad Rail train passing through a tunnel carved through the rugged Fujairah mountains, offering a glimpse into the striking views passengers will be treated to when travelling between the emirates.
The visit included a tour of Al Hail City Station, which will be among the first stops on the landmark passenger line.
Network takes shape
Etihad Rail told The National last month that the first routes on the 11-station network will connect Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Fujairah.
The three stations on this opening route are Mohamed bin Zayed City in Abu Dhabi, Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai and another in Fujairah’s Sakamkam neighbourhood, near Al Hilal City development.
Once up and running, trains will travel at speeds of up to 200kph, with a 400-passenger capacity.
A journey time of 57 minutes is forecast from Abu Dhabi to Dubai and 105 minutes from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah.
Mohammed Al Shehhi, chief projects officer at Etihad Rail, said the network's first phase will connect 11 cities and areas that “have been carefully selected within key locations such as Mohamed bin Zayed City in Abu Dhabi, Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai, University City in Sharjah and the Al Hilal area in Fujairah”.
“Our trains have been designed to offer a reliable, congestion-free alternative for intercity travel, with a focus on reducing journey times,” he said.
