Etihad Rail completes another milestone in national network project

UAE’s first rail marine bridge is part of package B of stage two of the project

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.

Etihad Rail has completed another milestone in its Dh1.2 billion ($326.7 million) national rail network project by connecting Khalifa Port to the mainland with the construction of the Emirates’ first rail marine bridge.

The one-kilometre bridge, which runs parallel to the road link, will “improve the flow of goods to the region, and reduce shipping and trade costs”, said Khuloud Al Mazrouei, deputy project manager, Etihad Rail, who outlined details of the latest project update in a video shared on social media.

Ms Al Mazrouei said the connection was completed with the installation of the final one of 100 T-beams.

“The most important feature of this bridge is that it runs parallel to a road bridge of the same length, which connects the mainland of the emirate of Abu Dhabi with the sea container terminal,” Ms Al Mazrouei said.

“This ensures a smooth flow of tidal currents along the sides of the port and preserves the coral reefs.”

She said the construction of the marine bridge, which is being developed by 320 people who have recorded more than one million working hours so far, has encountered several issues.

The marine bridge connection was completed with the installation of the final one of 100 T-beams. Photo: Etihad Rail

“The biggest challenges are climate and environmental ones, caused by the area’s geography,” she said.

“These include tides, changes in the speed and direction of wind and high temperatures and humidity levels.

“We have dealt with such challenges during the construction works of the bridge, particularly during the building and designing of the T-beams, given their scale and size.”

Etihad Rail’s network will run for 1,200 kilometres across the UAE, from the border of Saudi Arabia to Fujairah.

The railway will link the principal centres of trade, industry, manufacturing, production, logistics, population and all the major import and export points of the UAE, as well as forming an integral part of the GCC railway network. ‍

In May, Etihad Rail said 75 per cent of the network had now been built. Construction has been divided into two stages, the second of which includes four packages.

Stage one — a freight service linking the gasfields at Shah and Habshan to Ruwais — opened in 2016. Each day, it carries up to 22,000 tonnes of granulated sulphur from Habshan and Shah to Ruwais for Abu Dhabi National Oil Company.

Stage two joins Ghuwaifat in the west to Fujairah on the east.

The new network will reduce commute time by 30 to 40 per cent compared with other modes of transport.

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Travelling from Abu Dhabi to Dubai, and from Dubai to Fujairah, will take 50 minutes, while Abu Dhabi to Al Ruwais will take 70 minutes, and Abu Dhabi to Fujairah 100 minutes.

A launch date for the passenger line and the exact route for this service have not yet been announced, but plans for the first passenger station in Fujairah have been unveiled.

The passenger trains will travel at up to 200km an hour and will link 11 cities and areas. Each can carry about 400 people.

Carriages will be equipped with vital amenities such as Wi-Fi, entertainment systems, charging points and food and beverage services.

Seating will include first class, business class and economy.

Once operational, the service is expected to carry more than 36 million people annually by 2030.

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