Etihad Rail is to launch its Madinat Zayed and Liwa passenger stations on November 30 - one month ahead of schedule.
The two stations - in the Al Dhafra Region of Abu Dhabi - were due to welcome passengers on December 30 as part of the gradual opening of the national rail network.
The move was directed by Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed, Ruler's Representative in Al Dhafra Region, during a meeting with an Etihad Rail delegation at Al Nakheel Palace in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
He said the decision to bring forward the opening date was made to coincide with the start of the events and festival season in Al Dhafra.
The three other stations in the vast desert area of Al Dhafra - in Al Sila, Al Dhannah and Mirfa - are still scheduled to open on December 30.
Rail network gathers pace
Etihad Rail's long-awaited passenger train service launched on Tuesday, June 30 in a milestone moment for the nation's ambitious journey to better connect the emirates, increase economic growth, attract investment and boost tourism.
The start of daily services from Fujairah to Abu Dhabi has been met with huge public enthusiasm, with 10,000 tickets sold in the first week after they were made available.
Ten stations are listed on the Etihad Rail network map. All will be operating by March 30, according to this timetable:
- Fujairah: Al Hilal City station – active
- Abu Dhabi: Mohamed bin Zayed City station – active
- Dubai: Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai – September 30
- Sharjah: Al Dhaid station – September 30
- Madinat Zayed and Liwa (Al Dhafra) - November 30
- Al Sila, Al Dhannah, Mirfa (Al Dhafra) – December 30
- Sharjah: University City station – March 30, 2027
Feasibility studies will assess the further expansion of the national rail network in the next phase of the project.
Mega project on track
During the meeting, Sheikh Hamdan hailed Etihad Rail for its achievements in strengthening the country's transport and infrastructure ecosystem.
He praised the national talent who are serving as the driving force behind the rapid progress of the passenger rail service.
He said the success of the growing rail network underlined the UAE's ability to deliver large-scale projects across a variety of sectors.
Passenger services are 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.
Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, previously said the start of passenger services heralded a new "national achievement".
“Since the formation of the Union, connecting people to place has been a fundamental goal in the journey of development, and today, the Union Railway passenger train embodies this vision, linking the cities of the country, shortening time, and enhancing opportunities for growth and development,” wrote Sheikh Mansour, following the launch of the inaugural Abu Dhabi-Fujairah service.
“We celebrate a new national achievement added to the UAE's march towards the future, reflecting its ambition to build world-class infrastructure that connects the homeland and supports its prosperity.”
