For centuries, we have been conditioned to think of the world’s railways in terms of infrastructure: tracks, trains, stations. Steel and concrete. Heavy, slow-changing, dependable.
That is a picture that is wholly outdated. It’s entirely at odds with the breadth of innovation and imagination that was on show at Global Rail 2025, held in Abu Dhabi earlier this month. And it does a disservice to an industry that has long been an engine of incredible growth.
The truth is that for our societies to be connected, for our economies to be energised and for our planet to be protected, we require the effective movement of people and goods. As a result, rail is as relevant today as when the first steam trains left their stations. But the way we deliver it must change.
The world is urbanising fast and, as a result, passenger demand is expected to surge over the next two decades. Supply chains are being rewired. And the climate clock is ticking louder with every year. Rail is uniquely placed to answer these pressures because it is efficient, resilient and sustainable. Yet to do so, the rail industry must reimagine itself not as a collection of operators and suppliers, but as a global innovation system.
Global Rail saw the unveiling of the Etihad Rail Innovation Centre, the UAE’s first dedicated national centre focused on mobility precisely to provide a platform through which industry experts could help to address these issues.
Why does rail, an industry so vital to national economies, often seem to move slower than the technologies that underpin it? Partly, it is the industry’s legacy. Ours is an industry that has been built for reliability, not disruption. But in today’s world, that balance must shift, particularly if we want to play a positive role in remaking tomorrow’s world.
Experience has taught me that innovation cannot thrive in silos. So, when infrastructure owners guard data, when regulators hesitate, when startups struggle to scale, the whole sector loses. Contrast this with industries like digital commerce, where global standards and shared platforms fuel rapid breakthroughs. Rail has the same potential.
The rail innovation centre is designed to hardwire collaboration into rail’s DNA here in the UAE. It will bring together government, universities, industry leaders and startups under one roof, structured around four centres of excellence: infrastructure, signalling, mobility assets and digital systems. Each will tackle the big challenges – from predictive maintenance to AI-driven operations.
Take predictive maintenance, for example, a great example of data-led innovation. The result is fewer delays, lower costs and happier passengers. Or consider smart ticketing. By shifting commuters out of peak hours, we can cut congestion, boost revenues and improve the passenger experience in one move. These innovations are proven. What has been missing is the ecosystem to use them on a scale that makes impact.
Our goal is to create a space not just to both test and commercialise technologies. Startups can move from prototypes to pilots. Universities can see research translated into rolling stock. Regulators can shape frameworks alongside innovators rather than after the fact. This is how breakthroughs turn into benefits.
The UAE is proud to launch this initiative, but regional and global integration is a vital part of progressing the rail industry. Consequently, Etihad Rail has been increasingly involved in projects in the wider Gulf and beyond. The challenges we face, particularly decarbonisation, urbanisation and digitalisation are shared challenges. Naturally, the solutions must be shared, too.
Of course, innovation is not an end in and of itself. It must serve clear goals. For us, the priorities are five-fold: sustainability, safety, customer experience, efficiency and economic transformation.
Every project we incubate will be measured against these benchmarks. Does it cut emissions? Does it make journeys safer? Does it delight passengers? Does it streamline costs? Does it create value for economies and communities?
So much of rail is about the trust of our passengers, who want reliable, affordable and safe journeys. It is also about the trust of businesses that depend on efficient logistics and are already benefitting from what we have been delivering. And the trust of governments that see rail as a driver of growth. For me, trust is the ultimate dividend of innovation.
