'Top notch' Etihad Rail passenger service on track for 2026 launch

Etihad Rail's passenger service is on track to launch in 2026 and it will be “top notch”, a senior official involved in the project has told The National.

Azza Al Suwaidi, deputy chief executive at Etihad Rail Mobility (passenger services division), said the pressure to deliver was high but it was important for the service to be “safe, reliable, punctual and sustainable”.

“That's the passenger experience that we would like to embark on,” Ms Al Suwaidi told The National. “We are progressing with a certain momentum,” she added, confirming the 2026 date is still on track.

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In a wide-ranging interview at the Global Rail conference in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, Ms Al Suwaidi spoke about the pressure in delivering the country's first passenger line, how plans for the launch were progressing and what travellers could expect.

Building on existing infrastructure

Ms Al Suwaidi said Etihad Rail was working very hard on ensuring the stations are linked with existing and future transport from Dubai Metro to buses and more, in what is known as the “last mile”.

“Etihad Rail is built around giving the best passenger experience to all,” said Ms Al Suwaidi. “In Dubai we need to make sure we're connected to the Metro and we need to also make sure we have public transport available within our stations so people will have that seamless experience once they get off our trains and they immediately have a route that would take them to their final destination.

“We're working very closely with all our partners – whether local governments or private companies – to ensure that we secure that first and last mile for the passenger.”

The update came on the first day of the rail event in the capital that organisers predict will attract about 20,000 people. But it was Etihad Rail’s pavilion – including a model of a passenger train – that was drawing the crowds.

What do we already know about Etihad Rail?

Etihad Rail has not given a precise launch date or information about the first passenger routes. But four stations have been announced at Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and Fujairah. Construction is advancing on these and passenger test trains have been seen on the line over the past year.

“In terms of the passenger experience, obviously we would like to attract passengers into our stations and there will be features that would allow them to do that,” she said. But she underlined that the first and last mile “should be seamless”. “I would love [for people] to use our railway and … then it becomes part of their lifestyle.”

A map on display at the Etihad Rail pavilion showed several additional potential passenger stations across the UAE at places such as Sila, Mirfa, Madinat Zayed in the Al Dhafra Region and Al Dhaid. Ms Al Suwaidi would not comment on the map but said Etihad Rail was “working really hard in delivering the project”.

“We are connecting 11 cities and areas within the UAE,” she said. “That is how we are going to service the UAE in terms of passenger [stations].”

Etihad Rail was first established in 2009. Freight trains started operations in the Al Dhafra region several years later and the entire freight network was declared operational in 2023.

What can we expect from the passenger service?

It is planned for the passenger service to not only transform transport in the UAE but also eventually connect to Oman and potentially across the Gulf. When it is launched, passengers can expect travel times of 57 minutes from Abu Dhabi to Dubai and 105 minutes from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah.

When asked if she feels pressure to deliver she said the anticipation was there and that UAE standards meant everything had to be “top notch”.

“Definitely there is the pressure … but it's a good pressure because we are creating a new system," Ms Al Suwaidi added. "It's something that everyone should be proud of. It's a national project and I'm really excited for next year once we start our passenger service.”

When asked what other rail networks she looked to for inspiration, she pointed to those in Asia. “I would say China and Japan because of the complex systems they have there in terms of transportation.”

Ms Al Suwaidi, who has also travelled on the line, also gave a glimpse of what awaits passengers. “When you go across the Hajar Mountains, it's lovely. For me, I love seeing the desert. It's more calming. I feel proud that it's here in the UAE. I would love for everyone to experience that.”