Etihad Rail, which will connect the Emirates and later link the UAE with Oman, marked its first passenger journey this week.
Trains will run between 11 cities and regions, stretching from Al Sila to Fujairah and taking in Al Ruwais, Al Mirfa, Dubai, Sharjah, Al Dhaid and Abu Dhabi.
Freight services became fully operational across the country last year and, after the successful maiden passenger service on Thursday, the hope is the network will be open to the public soon.
Here’s The National’s guide to what we know about the project.
What is Etihad Rail and where does it go?
Work on Etihad Rail began in 2009.
Since 2016, two tracks spanning 264 kilometres have been in operation – with trains transporting granulated sulphur from gasfields in Shah and Habshan to an export point in Ruwais.
Every day, two trains run across the country, capable of carrying up to 22,000 tonnes of sulphur. Each can pull up to 110 wagons.
When complete, the network will connect the seven emirates to the five neighbouring GCC states.
The line will ultimately link the UAE and Saudi Arabia from Fujairah Port to Ghuwaifat, through Mussaffah, Khalifa Port and Jebel Ali Port.
Etihad Rail mapped
What is already complete?
Etihad Rail celebrated a major milestone last year by announcing the network was open and freight services were fully operational.
Freight trains can travel at up to 120kph and the fleet of 1,082 wagons can carry everything from shipping containers to construction materials.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, officially opened the freight line.
It features a fleet of 38 locomotives and more than 1,000 wagons.
What next?
Etihad Rail’s passenger trains will travel at up to 200kph, carrying about 400 people.
A start date for the passenger service has yet to announced but the first station is being built in Fujairah.
Carriages will offer Wi-Fi, entertainment systems, charging points and food and drink options to cater for everyone from families to workers and tourists.
Customers were told to expect travel time of 50 minutes between Abu Dhabi and Dubai and about 100 minutes from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah.
A luxury train service is also in the works, after an agreement was reached between Italian luxury hospitality company Arsenale and Etihad Rail.
This service, consisting of 15 plush carriages, is expected to cross the UAE from Fujairah down to the Liwa desert in Abu Dhabi.
Etihad Rail's Inaugural Passenger Voyage: Abu Dhabi to Al Dhannah
Travel time
At the 2023 Middle East Rail conference in May, Gottfried Eymer, chief executive of the Etihad Rail freight network, outlined how the service would bring social and environmental benefits.
He pointed out that the trains will help take cars off the roads.
“The benefit for people will be very good and positive,” he said. “Instead of 300 lorries, you have one train driver. Instead of people waiting in traffic jams, we are moving lorries to railway.
"As we are providing those services on a different network, we are delivering the streets for daily road transport.”
What about Oman?
The railway network will connect Sohar, via Sohar Port, to Abu Dhabi.
Trains are estimated to take 1 hour 40 minutes between Abu Dhabi and Sohar, and only 47 minutes from Al Ain to Sohar.
A start date for the service has yet to be announced.
