Etihad Rail has published an aerial photograph to show the progress of the line on the UAE's east coast.
The image, posted to its social media channels, shows the railway cutting through Fujairah's Hajar Mountains and headed for the coast.
Progress of the UAE's first railway is advancing rapidly, with Etihad Rail saying more than 70 per of the line has been constructed.
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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.
In June, it was announced the first passenger station would be built in Fujairah.
The passenger trains will travel at speeds up to 200 kilometres an hour and can carry about 400 people. They will link 11 cities and areas across the UAE, from Al Sila in the west to Fujairah in the north.
Etihad Rail said stations will celebrate the joy of travelling and designs will encapsulate regional traditions.
“We see the stations as urban centres where people can gather,” Ahmed Al Hashemi, executive director of Etihad Rail passenger sector, previously told The National.
“The stations will fit into the environment and become part of urban development.”
No start date for the passenger service has been made public, but officials have said more than 36 million people will use the service annually by 2030.
Customers can expect a travel time of 50 minutes between Abu Dhabi and Dubai and about 100 minutes from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah, cutting commutes significantly.
The train will also boost the UAE's sustainability efforts. Carbon emissions will be reduced by 70 to 80 per cent, compared with the amount emitted by lorries, with one train journey replacing about 300 lorries on the road.
Dubai communities along Etihad Rail line - in pictures
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Al Furjan: the average sales price of an apartment as of May 2022 is Dh595,187 and the average sales price of a villa is Dh2.1m. All pricing supplied by Allsopp & Allsopp. Photo: Nakheel -
Arabian Ranches 2: A villa can be purchased for, on average, Dh5,56m. Photo: Better Homes -
Damac Hills: An apartment can be purchased for an average price of Dh941,250 and villas in the area are selling for an average price of Dh3,7m. Pawan Singh / The National -
Green Community in Dubai investment Park: In East a villa can be purchased for an average price of Dh3,232m and in the Green Community West, villas can be purchased for Dh3,575m. Antonie Robertson / The National -
Mudon: The average price of a villa is Dh2,795m. Satish Kumar / The National -
Mira: A villa can be purchased for an average price of Dh2,296m. Photo: Emaar -
Town Square: the average sales price of a villa is Dh1,926m. Pawan Singh / The National
