UAE’s Etihad Rail eyes passenger service launch for 2026

Image credit: Etihad Rail/X account

Etihad Rail has announced that its high-speed passenger train service is scheduled to launch in 2026. The announcement was made via the company’s official X (formerly Twitter) account.

We’re honoured to have been hosted by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region, where H.H. Sheikh Hamdan received a delegation from Etihad Rail at Al Dhanna Palace, led by H.E. Shadi Malak, CEO of Etihad Rail.

During the meeting, we… pic.twitter.com/wnWGj800hL

— Etihad Rail (@Etihad_Rail) May 9, 2025

First revealed in January 2025, the project aims to build the UAE’s first all-electric, high-speed passenger train connecting Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The train is expected to reduce travel time between the two emirates to just 30 minutes.

Operating at speeds of up to 350km/h, the train will stop at six key stations: Reem Island, Saadiyat, Yas Island, and Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi, as well as Al Maktoum International Airport and Al Jaddaf in Dubai.

Once completed, the Etihad Rail network will span over 1,200 kilometers across the UAE.

As part of a joint venture formed after a 2022 agreement between the governments of the UAE and Oman, Etihad Rail is also constructing a 303-kilometer railway linking Sohar Port in Oman to the UAE National Rail Network. The total investment for the project is estimated at $3bn.

The expansion of the network has enabled the launch of Etihad Rail’s freight operations, with the carrier expected to transport up to 60 million tonnes annually by 2030.

The rail passenger services will connect 11 cities and regions across the UAE, stretching from Al Sila to Fujairah. Each passenger train will accommodate up to 400 passengers.

Estimated travel times between key destinations are as follows:

Abu Dhabi to Dubai: 57 minutes

Abu Dhabi to Ruwais: 70 minutes

Abu Dhabi to Fujairah: 105 minutes

By 2030, the number of passengers is projected to exceed 36.5 million annually. The first four stations to open will be in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, and Fujairah.