A glimpse at the Etihad Rail bridge that crosses one of Abu Dhabi's busiest roads

Al Wathba bridge allows trains to cross the E22 motorway

Etihad Rail said Al Wathba rail bridge was built in just 13 months. Photo: Etihad Rail

Etihad Rail has shared an image of a crucial bridge spanning one of Abu Dhabi’s busiest roads.

Al Wathba bridge allows trains to pass over the E22 Abu Dhabi to Al Ain road and is a vital piece of infrastructure on the UAE’s rail network.

Etihad Rail, which posted the image to its social media on Friday, said the bridge was built in 13 months using about 10,000 cubic metres of concrete, 3,500 tonnes of steel reinforcement and scores of concrete beams.

It is just one of several crucial bridges on the UAE-wide network, such as the 600-metre Al Bithnah structure in Fujairah, Dubai’s Al Qudra bridge and the marine bridge that allows trains to enter Abu Dhabi’s Khalifa Port.

The Etihad Rail freight network has been operational since February and links all emirates and seven key logistics hubs.

Freight trains can travel up to 120kph and the operator’s fleet of 1,082 wagons can carry everything from shipping containers to construction materials.

Etihad Rail in numbers - in pictures

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

This week, Etihad Rail released a video showing a freight train travelling across the country. It underlined the vast scale of the network with the train passing through tunnels and bridges.

Etihad Rail said it is envisaged the freight network will carry 20 million tonnes of cargo this year before rising to 60m tonnes by 2030. One train can carry up to 300 lorries off the country’s roads, it added.

Etihad Rail was established in 2009. The first freight line opened in Abu Dhabi in 2016, transporting sulphur from gas fields at Shah and Habshan to Ruwais Port.

The network currently spans about 900km and is expected to stretch to 1,200km when fully complete.

Etihad Rail is also planning a passenger service but a launch date for the service has not been announced.