Etihad Rail's eagerly awaited first passenger journeys between Abu Dhabi and Fujairah will begin next week – and tickets are being snapped up fast.
The national train operator's website shows only limited seats are available for the inaugural cross-emirate trips on Tuesday, June 30. The service will take passengers from Abu Dhabi's Mohamed bin Zayed City station to the Fujairah station in Al Hilal City.
Tickets went on sale on Etihad Rail's website and app on Tuesday after the the long-awaited launch of passenger services was confirmed. Fares on the Abu Dhabi-Fujairah route are initially available for Dh55 ($15) for Comfort Class – a 50 per cent discount for the launch – and Dh120 for Premium Class.
High demand
The booking section of the Etihad Rail website showed that all tickets are now sold out for the 8.19am and 1.53pm journeys.
Only Comfort class tickets remain for the 6.39pm trip from Abu Dhabi.
But passengers still have a chance to be part of history by securing their seat on the maiden Etihad Rail train ride, setting off from Fujairah at 5.34am.
The Etihad Rail website shows Comfort Class tickets can still be purchased for that journey and the subsequent Abu Dhabi-bound trips at 10.59am and 5.28pm.
Premium tickets for all three Fujairah-Abu Dhabi journeys on the opening day of passenger services are now sold out. Journeys on the route between the two emirates will vary from as short as one hour and 45 minutes to about two hours.
Anticipation builds for historic journey
The start of passenger services is a landmark moment years in the making for the country's largest infrastructure project and a significant leap forward in efforts to boost connectivity between the emirates and transform public transport.
The wider Etihad Rail passenger network will eventually stretch across the country and is expected to span 900km.
Train stations at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai and Al Dhaid in Sharjah are scheduled to open on September 30 as part of an expansion of the country's largest infrastructure initiative. Al Dhafra train station is to open on December 30, with Sharjah's University City station to begin operations on March 30 next year.
The much-anticipated start date of passenger services was announced as Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, inaugurated the Mohamed bin Zayed City passenger station on Tuesday.
The Etihad Rail website lists 10 stations on the network, including the five stations that will open to the public by March.
The remaining five stations – for which launch dates have not yet been announced – are in Al Dhanna, Al Sila, Al Mirfa, Madinat Zayed and Liwa.
Passenger services will be operated by Etihad Rail in partnership with Keolis, a leading passenger transport operator. Passenger numbers across the network are expected to reach 36 million by 2030, helping to keep people on the move between the emirates while taking cars off the roads to further environmental goals.
The UAE's new train stations will feature amenities, including cafes, restaurants and retail outlets. Dining options will also be available on board passenger trains.
Sheikh Khaled said the start of passenger services reflected the country's efforts to develop a fully integrated transport network to strengthen connectivity between the emirates and spur investment, tourism and urban development.
The Abu Dhabi Crown Prince hailed the major initiative as a strategic investment primed to advance the UAE's development journey and bolster its global standing.
