Etihad Rail meets Dubai's Sheikh Zayed Road in new milestone

Bridge will allow trains to enter Jebel Ali terminal

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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

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  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.

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  Work on the railway at Saih Shuaib.

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  Etihad Rail workers on a railroad overpass along the E77 and E611 highway junction in Dubai.

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  The overpass view along the E77 and E611 highway junction.

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  Etihad Rail says stations will celebrate the joy of travelling and designs will speak to regional traditions.

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  Some of the new stations will be built in the cities but the locations have not been yet announced.

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  The Abu Dhabi to Dubai line is central to the project.

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  The train driver takes the diesel inspection line down the tracks.

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  The Abu Dhabi to Dubai section of the track runs parallel to the Emirates Road (E611) motorway.

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  Newly laid tracks at the Dubai South area.

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  Railroad workers preparing tracks.

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  An Etihad Rail worker on the Abu Dhabi to Dubai line.

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  An Etihad Rail depot at Saih Shuaib.

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  Passengers will also be able to use park and rides.

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  Passengers can expect travel time of 50 minutes between Abu Dhabi and Dubai and about 100 minutes from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah.

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  Construction of the UAE-wide network is advancing rapidly with close to 70 per cent of the twin-track route complete.

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  The addition of the passenger rail service marked an important moment for Etihad Rail since its establishment in 2009.

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  The rail track snakes through the desert.

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  An Etihad Rail employee on the inspection line.

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  Three Etihad Rail workers take a rest, with the inspection train on right.

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  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.

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  The passenger service is expected to carry more than 36 million passengers annually by the end of the decade.

Latest: First passenger station to be built in Fujairah city

Developers of the Etihad Rail train line have released a video showing the project's progress.

Aerial footage shot using drones shows the development of the rail bridge on the E11, Sheikh Zayed Road, in Dubai.

The bridge will allow carriages to access the Jebal Ali rail terminal, allowing the movement of goods locally and internationally.

Last month, Etihad Rail released footage that showed the construction of the UAE's highest railway bridge, in Fujairah.

The video, posted to its social media account, shows work well under way on the 600-metre bridge in Al Bithnah.

The bridge passes through the Hajar Mountains, with towns and farms visible in the background.

"The National Railway Network will play a pivotal role in providing new economic opportunities, facilitate trade and transportation of freight across the country, resulting in increased levels of efficiency and productivity while driving the economic growth of the country," the company said on Twitter.

The 1,200-kilometre line will slash the journey time from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah to one hour and 40 minutes, stretching from the UAE border with Saudi Arabia in the west to Oman in the east.

Dubai communities along the 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

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  Arabian Ranches 2: A villa can be purchased for, on average, Dh5,56m. Photo: Better Homes

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  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

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  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

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  Mudon: The average price of a villa is Dh2,795m. Satish Kumar / The National

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  Mira: A villa can be purchased for an average price of Dh2,296m. Photo: Emaar

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  Town Square: the average sales price of a villa is Dh1,926m. Pawan Singh / The National