A huge draw for Egypt's tourism industry is the train that runs the length of the country, parallel to the Nile river. From the comfort of private cabins, passengers cross a vast country in a matter of hours, all while viewing the landscapes and sites that make the country the marvel that it is. Egypt’s railways are historic. The first lines were laid in the mid-19th century, making it the first railway in the Middle East.
Many years later, people in the UAE are set to get a dose of this romanticism, after Sunday's news that Etihad Rail, which was originally announced as a freight project, will also include a passenger service that runs across the country. Officials did not announce a start date for the first services, but said that the number of passengers is expected to reach 36.5 million a year by 2030.
These are high projections, but understandable considering the vast convenience and benefit it will bring. With trains set to travel at around 200 kilometres per hour, the journey from Abu Dhabi to Dubai will take just 50 minutes.
For the country as a whole, creating passenger lines will also support a number of long-term goals. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, spoke of the huge reduction in carbon emissions that the railway would bring about. And as the UAE seeks to create green but also profitable initiatives, Etihad Rail makes particular sense. Completed in 2016, the first phase of the railway is already moving industrial products between the country's ports. The wider value of the railway is worth an estimated $54.5 billion.
Much of this will come from tourism, domestic and international. The past year and a half has seen the rise of staycations, and with quick rail links, this type of holidaying is about to become cheaper, faster and greener. It will also link travellers to rail networks in five neighbouring GCC states, a boon for regional tourism. International travellers will profit similarly, bypassing the need to rent cars and navigate a new country on their own.
Behind big numbers, Etihad Rail's deepest significance is that it will change transport in a country that has always been on the move. Construction on the UAE's first paved roads started in 1966. At the time, most journeys would have been done by off-road vehicles at best, and a camel trip from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah would have taken days. On Etihad Rail, it will take an hour and 40 minutes.
Sheikh Mohammed has called the new railway "the largest project to consolidate the strength of the union for the next 50 years". The UAE has emerged strongly from the pandemic, but for the first time in its history it had to put up with unprecedented barriers to internal travel. It is fitting, therefore, that as the country emerges from Covid-19, connection is not just getting back to normal, but reaching new levels.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Quarter-finals
Saturday (all times UAE)
England v Australia, 11.15am
New Zealand v Ireland, 2.15pm
Sunday
Wales v France, 11.15am
Japan v South Africa, 2.15pm
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UAE central contracts
Full time contracts
Rohan Mustafa, Ahmed Raza, Mohammed Usman, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Sultan Ahmed, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmed, Zawar Farid
Part time contracts
Aryan Lakra, Ansh Tandon, Karthik Meiyappan, Rahul Bhatia, Alishan Sharafu, CP Rizwaan, Basil Hameed, Matiullah, Fahad Nawaz, Sanchit Sharma
'Young girls thinking of big ideas'
Words come easy for aspiring writer Afra Al Muhairb. The business side of books, on the other hand, is entirely foreign to the 16-year-old Emirati. So, she followed her father’s advice and enroled in the Abu Dhabi Education Council’s summer entrepreneurship course at Abu Dhabi University hoping to pick up a few new skills.
“Most of us have this dream of opening a business,” said Afra, referring to her peers are “young girls thinking of big ideas.”
In the three-week class, pupils are challenged to come up with a business and develop an operational and marketing plan to support their idea. But, the learning goes far beyond sales and branding, said teacher Sonia Elhaj.
“It’s not only about starting up a business, it’s all the meta skills that goes with it -- building self confidence, communication,” said Ms Elhaj. “It’s a way to coach them and to harness ideas and to allow them to be creative. They are really hungry to do this and be heard. They are so happy to be actually doing something, to be engaged in creating something new, not only sitting and listening and getting new information and new knowledge. Now they are applying that knowledge.”
Afra’s team decided to focus their business idea on a restaurant modelled after the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Each level would have a different international cuisine and all the meat would be halal. The pupils thought of this after discussing a common problem they face when travelling abroad.
“Sometimes we find the struggle of finding halal food, so we just eat fish and cheese, so it’s hard for us to spend 20 days with fish and cheese,” said Afra. “So we made this tower so every person who comes – from Africa, from America – they will find the right food to eat.”
rpennington@thenational.ae
Results
5pm: UAE Martyrs Cup (TB) Conditions Dh90,000 2,200m
Winner: Mudaarab, Jim Crowley (jockey), Erwan Charpy (trainer).
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Handicap Dh70,000 1,400m
Winner: Jawal Al Reef, Richard Mullen, Hassan Al Hammadi.
6pm: UAE Matyrs Trophy (PA) Maiden Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner: Salima Al Reef, Jesus Rosales, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
6.30pm: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak (IFAHR) Apprentice Championship (PA) Prestige Dh100,000 1,600m
Winner: Bainoona, Ricardo Iacopini, Eric Lemartinel.
7pm: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak (IFAHR) Ladies World Championship (PA) Prestige Dh125,000 1,600m
Winner: Assyad, Victoria Larsen, Eric Lemartinel.
8pm: Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown (PA) Group 1 Dh5,000,000 1,600m
Winner: Mashhur Al Khalediah, Jean-Bernard Eyquem, Phillip Collington.
