Etihad Rail will enhance the UAE landscape

Etihad Rail's freight network is now operational. It can transport 60 million tonnes of goods a year. All photos: Etihad Rail

The new freight service has 38 locomotives

The freight trains will run up to 120kph, with each locomotive operating at 4,500 horsepower

The locomotives pull a total of 1,000 wagons, transporting goods ranging from shipping containers to industrial material

The tracks cross the UAE and feature 593 bridges

The network will contribute Dh200 billion ($54.4 billion) to the UAE economy and save Dh8 billion in road maintenance costs

The project also aims to reduce carbon emissions from the road transport sector by 21 per cent by 2050, boosting the country's efforts to become net zero

In another seven years, the way people travel in the UAE will undergo a dynamic change. Cars will still be on the road. But with its nationwide rail network – that is steadily gearing up to connect all seven emirates and to transport more than 36 million people – Etihad Rail will, by 2030, change the landscape of the country.

The passenger rail is one aspect that will change the way we travel, plan our days and reduce the time we spend on the road. An infrastructure project that includes a 1,200-kilometre railroad track – necessarily changes the way a country functions.

But a less visible but perhaps more important aspect of the project is the boost it will provide to the national economy – via the goods that will be transported at great speed. Just two days ago, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, inaugurated the UAE's freight train network, marking an important moment for the country's development.

The strategic gains that Etihad Rail will usher in, including connecting four major ports, seven logistics centres and transporting 60 million tonnes of goods every year at a speed of 120kph, will advance not just the UAE economy but that of its neighbours. As Sheikh Mohammed said during the inauguration: “Connecting the Emirates via a national railway network strengthens our capabilities and competitiveness, and consolidates our unity.”

The progress in construction that has been increasingly visible throughout the country over the past two years has left residents with a sense of excitement and expectation, as it signals a future that will continue to reinvent the country and its economy, and by extension, benefit their lives. Beyond this, any big national project, is often a matter of pride for a country and its people.

Back in 2009, when Etihad Rail was established, the idea of a national rail network linking key ports and cities was keenly and widely anticipated. The difference now is seeing that dream take shape, with 75 per cent of the network complete, linking the UAE with the borders of Saudi Arabia up to Oman. As any student of history will have learnt, a rail network does for a country in terms of connection and economic dynamism what few other infrastructure projects can.

The UAE already has top-of-the-line air and road networks, with national carriers that habitually top global rankings. The country has an esteemed space programme that, with good reason, is also a matter of national pride. And now it has a rapidly growing rail network that, given the railways' universal status as a game changer for a country's development journey, will be an asset. Etihad Rail will contribute to supporting the UAE economy to a value of Dh200 billion and save Dh8 billion in road maintenance costs. And as people living in the country and outside flock to it, the resulting tourism benefits are estimated at Dh23 billion.

What we're seeing is a landmark journey towards completion of what will soon be a historic national achievement.