Latest: Abu Dhabi to Dubai railway - what is it like to ride on the line?
Etihad Rail has released the first images of what the UAE’s new passenger trains will look like.
The striking renderings, published exclusively by The National, show silver and grey carriages emblazoned with the red Etihad Rail logo set against the backdrop of the UAE’s cities, mountains and deserts.
They offer the first detailed look of what awaits people once they step inside the sleek and modern interiors.
The passenger trains will travel at speeds up to 200kph and can carry about 400 people, linking 11 cities and areas across the UAE from Al Sila in the west to Fujairah in the north.
To see the tracks laid is like a dream come true. It fills me with pride
Ahmed Al Hashemi,
executive director of Etihad Rail passenger sector
Etihad Rail says stations will celebrate the joy of travelling and designs will speak to regional traditions. Some of the stations will be built in the cities but the locations have not been announced yet.
“We see the stations as urban centres where people can gather,” Ahmed Al Hashemi, executive director of Etihad Rail passenger sector, told The National.
“The stations will fit into the environment and become part of urban development.”
Carriages will be equipped with Wi-Fi, entertainment systems, charging points and various food and beverages options and cater to all people in the UAE from families to workers to tourists.
A launch date for the passenger service has not yet been announced but The National was also granted rare access to part of the Abu Dhabi to Dubai line and it provides the most detailed glimpse yet of what awaits passengers.
Test train runs along Abu Dhabi-Dubai route
This section of the track runs parallel to the Emirates Road (E611) motorway, past Al Maktoum Airport and then north to the junction between the Expo Road and the 611 only a stone’s throw from the Expo 2020 Dubai site.
Trains will have drivers and the railway will be integrated in some way with existing public transport such as buses and the metro. A plan is in place to introduce a unified ticket and journey planning system with graded seating including first class. Passengers will also be able to use park and rides.
Customers can expect travel time of 50 minutes between Abu Dhabi and Dubai and about 100 minutes from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah cutting commutes significantly. Construction of the UAE-wide network is advancing rapidly with close to 70 per cent of the twin-track route built.
“You see the track, you have ridden on it,” said Mr Al Hashemi, who has worked for Etihad Rail for 10 years. "It is safer, faster and more convenient.
“You cannot take a city and move it closer to another city but railways can make the travel time shorter. That by itself is getting people and cities closer.
“Passengers can read a book, finish work, be with family and enjoy the time until you get to your destination without being bothered by traffic."
The addition of the passenger rail service was announced in December and marked a key moment for Etihad Rail since its establishment in 2009.
Stage one – a freight service linking the gas fields at Shah and Habshan to Ruwais – opened in 2016, while stage two joins Ghuweifat on the border with Saudi Arabia to Fujairah on the east coast in a line running for about 1,200km. The passenger and freight service will run on the stage two line and it is expected to carry more than 36 million passengers annually by 2030. Additions to the route are expected.
From the hour-long ride on the train, the scale of the project is clear. The track cuts a permanent way through sand dunes, over motorways and past airports. Scores of pipes and overhead cables have been moved, while wildlife and their habitats have been protected through animal crossings and careful relocation.
“We have to assess what would be the optimum route,” said Mr Al Hashemi. “We consider terrain, availability of land and the existing and future infrastructure. There are many points where we intersect with infrastructure we need to take care of.”
A common feature of railways in other countries – level crossings – will not feature in Etihad Rail as the track runs independent to the roads, improving safety and boosting speeds.
“If there is an intersection with roads, we have a bridge, tunnel or an overpass. It is a very challenging part of the network design but comes with great benefits in the long term,” said Mr Al Hashemi.
The statistics speak for themselves. Over the next 50 years, Etihad Rail’s service aims to benefit the economy to the tune of Dh23 billion ($6.26bn), generating direct and indirect economic value of Dh200bn; make Dh8bn savings on road maintenance, while also reducing accidents and deaths on the roads; and providing more than 9,000 jobs by 2030.
“I remember standing on a sand dune or on a hill or mountain,” said Mr Al Hashemi, reflecting on his early days with the railway.
“To come back after several years and see the tracks laid is like a dream come true. It fills me with pride.”
French business
France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
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- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
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- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
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- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
Countries recognising Palestine
France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra
The specs
Engine: 2.9-litre, V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: seven-speed PDK dual clutch automatic
Power: 375bhp
Torque: 520Nm
Price: Dh332,800
On sale: now
Results
Ashraf Ghani 50.64 per cent
Abdullah Abdullah 39.52 per cent
Gulbuddin Hekmatyar 3.85 per cent
Rahmatullah Nabil 1.8 per cent
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
Results
2.30pm: Expo 2020 Dubai – Conditions (PA) Dh80,000 (Dirt) 1,600m; Winner: Barakka, Ray Dawson (jockey), Ahmad bin Harmash (trainer)
3.05pm: Now Or Never – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,600m; Winner: One Idea, Andrea Atzeni, Doug Watson
3.40pm: This Is Our Time – Handicap (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Perfect Balance, Tadhg O’Shea, Bhupat Seemar
4.15pm: Visit Expo 2020 – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Kaheall, Richard Mullen, Salem bin Ghadayer
4.50pm: The World In One Place – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1.900m; Winner: Castlebar, Adrie de Vries, Helal Al Alawi
5.25pm: Vision – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: Shanty Star, Richard Mullen, Rashed Bouresly
6pm: Al Wasl Plaza – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: Jadwal, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
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The specs: 2018 Jaguar E-Pace First Edition
Price, base / as tested: Dh186,480 / Dh252,735
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder
Power: 246hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 365Nm @ 1,200rpm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.7L / 100km
HWJN
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The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5