Little more than 200 years on from the September 1825 inauguration of the 40km Stockton and Darlington Railway in England, train travel remains an enduring symbol of connection, personal mobility and possibility. Cars, commercial planes, autonomous vehicles and even flying taxis may have arrived since, but the promise, utility and use cases for rail travel are, arguably, as strong as ever.
No wonder the introduction of passenger train services to the UAE later this year is creating a rolling sense of wonder fully two centuries after that first historic journey thousands of kilometres away in 19th-century Europe.
The National had a first look at Etihad Rail’s passenger service this month, including a tour of one of the main stations where passengers will throng the platforms later this year. Our reporter John Dennehy was also able to take a 30-minute journey on one of the soon-to-be fully commissioned high-speed trains. The anticipation around the UAE’s inter-emirate train service is palpable, especially among those who may have been regular passengers on test trains during this proving period.
“It’s such a lovely experience,” Azza Al Suwaidi, deputy chief executive of Etihad Rail Mobility, told The National during that recent trip. “I love coming out of the city and then going to the desert, looking at the lovely sand dunes that we have and then arriving at Fujairah where we have amazing mountains.”
Etihad Rail has also confirmed that it will take an hour to travel from the capital’s station in the Mohamed bin Zayed City area to Dubai’s Jumeirah Golf Estates’s stop and around 100 minutes to get from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah. A broader network of 11 stations will soon be commissioned, stretching from Sila in the far west of the country to the aforementioned coastal city emirate destination in the east. A luxury train service, fully leaning into the golden age romance of rail travel, has been mooted for later in the decade.
The discussion about the economic benefits that flow with train travel – from creating jobs to helping generate greater connectivity between communities and reducing environmental footprints by making fewer car journeys and taking vehicles off the roads – are both well-rehearsed and often stated. They are also hard to disagree with. The immediate area around Mohamed bin Zayed City’s station, close to Dalma Mall, is sure to experience a positive impact from increased footfall and from its new role as the city’s railway network entry and exit point.
But it is the potentially huge shift in both commuting habits and, in particular, domestic tourism which the railways might bring about, that is one of the most intriguing talking points around those forthcoming passenger train services.
Railway stations, like sporting clubs, have a habit of putting towns and settlements on the map and in the public's mind. The contours of the country’s map are almost bound to figuratively shift as we become more familiar with the passenger route that traces hundreds of kilometres across the nation. In turn, these places will stir interest and economic activity through tourism, both domestic and international.
The relatively short journey time for Abu Dhabi residents to travel to Fujairah, for instance, opens up the east coast to far more frequent visits for those previously deterred by the long drive, with the result that the natural beauty of those “amazing mountains” may become a more common sight for long-distance domestic leisure travellers.
It is also the broader points on the network – those 11 stations, and particularly those not attached to the big cities of Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah – that speak directly to that newfound connection.
Consider Sila, to be found at the far western end of the current passenger network plan and close to the border with Saudi Arabia. It was described as a “hidden gem” of heritage, culture and rural living by The National and home to a centuries-old ghaf tree, as well as vast stretches of desert.
What about Mirfa, the quiet coastal town that is sometimes called one of Abu Dhabi emirate’s best-kept secrets, and Sharjah’s Al Dhaid, home to a World Islamic Heritage listed fort or Mezairaa, situated as an entry point to the drama and wistful beauty of the Empty Quarter’s dunes.
Paul Theroux’s book The Great Railway Bazaar, once considered required reading for travellers, espoused on the possibility of rail travel and noted that if a train was large and comfortable “you don’t even need a destination”. We know that the Etihad Rail trains will be large, comfortable and able to accommodate hundreds of passengers in a modern, connected environment for the journey. The recently published route map and station guide also gives visitors destinations aplenty.
The ribbon of rail routes that will run across the country will bring another layer of linkage to an already deeply connected country. The arrival of rail services will add further dynamism to local economies and carry an array of possibilities for visitors and residents. No wonder the excitement is palpable.
