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The future of railways in the Middle East will be mapped out at a major conference that starts in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
Middle East Rail is expected to draw 6,000 visitors, more than 200 speakers and 250 exhibitors.
Etihad Rail, the developer and operator of the UAE's national railway network, is hosting the two-day event with pressing topics up for discussion including large developments in the Emirates over the past decade.
Anticipation has been building in the UAE as Etihad Rail releases more information about the eagerly awaited passenger service that will take people from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah in about an hour.
Etihad Rail in January released the first images of what the passenger trains will look like when the service is launched.
The silver and grey carriages emblazoned with the red Etihad Rail logo will travel at speeds of 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.
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Railroad workers preparing tracks at a depot in January 2022. There has been rapid progress on a new line that will eventually carry passengers. All photos: Victor Besa / The National -
The new Etihad Rail line will connect 11 cities and areas across the UAE from Al Sila in the west to Fujairah in the north. -
Work on the railway at Saih Shuaib. -
Etihad Rail workers on a railroad overpass along the E77 and E611 highway junction in Dubai. -
The overpass view along the E77 and E611 highway junction. -
Etihad Rail says stations will celebrate the joy of travelling and designs will speak to regional traditions. -
Some of the new stations will be built in the cities but the locations have not been yet announced. -
The Abu Dhabi to Dubai line is central to the project. -
The train driver takes the diesel inspection line down the tracks. -
The Abu Dhabi to Dubai section of the track runs parallel to the Emirates Road (E611) motorway. -
Newly laid tracks at the Dubai South area. -
Railroad workers preparing tracks. -
An Etihad Rail worker on the Abu Dhabi to Dubai line. -
An Etihad Rail depot at Saih Shuaib. -
Passengers will also be able to use park and rides. -
Passengers can expect travel time of 50 minutes between Abu Dhabi and Dubai and about 100 minutes from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah. -
Construction of the UAE-wide network is advancing rapidly with close to 70 per cent of the twin-track route complete. -
The addition of the passenger rail service marked an important moment for Etihad Rail since its establishment in 2009. -
The rail track snakes through the desert. -
An Etihad Rail employee on the inspection line. -
Three Etihad Rail workers take a rest, with the inspection train on right. -
Stage two of the project joins Ghuweifat on the border with Saudi Arabia to Fujairah on the east coast in a line running for about 1,200km. -
The passenger service is expected to carry more than 36 million passengers annually by the end of the decade.
The addition of the passenger rail service was announced in December and marked a crucial moment for Etihad Rail since its establishment in 2009.
A freight service linking the gasfields at Shah and Habshan to Ruwais opened in 2016.
Also up for discussion at Middle East Rail will be passenger experience, the need for exciting infrastructure design and the switch to digital signalling.
It also features a showcase of latest train technology, more than 100 presentations, panels and interviews, as well as workshops.
"As a leading event in the railway sector, Middle East Rail 2022 will play a significant role in creating new opportunities for developing the industry," said Mohamed Al Mansouri, Undersecretary for Infrastructure and Transport Affairs at the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure.
"Hosting Middle East Rail 2022 consolidates the UAE’s excellence in the transport infrastructure and logistics industries, in order to achieve sustainable development.”
Omar Al Sebeyi, executive director of the commercial sector at Etihad Rail, said the conference was important for the future of rail in the region.
“At Etihad Rail, we ensure integrating cutting-edge technologies and following the best practices in the development of the UAE national rail network, to support the country’s economic growth," he said.
"We look forward to convening with industry leaders and experts at Middle East Rail to shape the future of the rail industry in the region.”
Organisers said it made sense to hold Middle East Rail, now in its 16th year, in Abu Dhabi, as travel corridors reopen after the Covid-19 pandemic.
Event director Jamie Hosie said: "Abu Dhabi plays an important role in the Middle East’s transport industry — as a central point of business it is the perfect place to stage this crucial gathering of transport titans."
Middle East Rail takes place at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre from May 17 to 18
