Dubai is set to join the UAE’s passenger rail network as Etihad Rail begins its first passenger train services from the emirate on Wednesday, September 30. The services will connect Dubai with Abu Dhabi in 64 minutes and Fujairah in 70 minutes.
The new passenger rail service will be operated by Etihad Rail Mobility and is expected to provide travellers with an additional intercity transport option while improving connectivity between major centres across the UAE.
In a statement, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE, said: “Integrating Dubai into the national rail network would strengthen its transport infrastructure, improve accessibility to and from the city, and support its future growth and development ambitions,” reported The Indian Express.
Dubai Etihad Rail station linked to Metro network
Etihad Rail inaugurated its Dubai station on Monday ahead of the passenger service launch. The station will act as a key gateway for rail travel between Dubai, Abu Dhabi and other parts of the UAE.
The station is connected to Jumeirah Golf Estates Metro station through a dedicated pedestrian bridge, allowing passengers to transfer between Etihad Rail and Dubai Metro services.
The integration is also expected to support access to Dubai’s business, tourism and economic centres by linking intercity rail with the city’s existing public transport network.
Tickets from AED 29, five daily Dubai-Abu Dhabi trains
Bookings for the new passenger services are already open through the Etihad Rail mobile app, its website and ticket vending machines at stations.
Passengers can also use Dubai’s Nol system to combine Etihad Rail and local public transport journeys through a single QR code, which can be used on Etihad Rail trains, Metro, Tram and bus services.
For the Dubai-Abu Dhabi route, fares start at AED 39 for Comfort Class and AED 109 for Premium Class. On the Dubai-Fujairah route, fares start at AED 29 for Comfort Class and AED 89 for Premium Class.
Five trains will initially operate daily between Dubai and Abu Dhabi. From Dubai, departures are scheduled at 6:14 am, 7:14 am, 1:14 pm, 5:14 pm and 6:14 pm, with all services reaching Abu Dhabi in 64 minutes.
In the opposite direction, trains will leave Abu Dhabi at 6:43 am, 7:43 am, 12:43 pm, 4:43 pm and 5:43 pm. Each service will take 64 minutes to reach Dubai.
On the Dubai-Fujairah route, one train will initially operate in each direction. The Dubai-Fujairah service will depart at 1:57 pm and arrive at 3:07 pm, while the Fujairah-Dubai train will leave at 11:54 am and reach Dubai at 1:04 pm.
The passenger trains will operate at speeds of up to 200 kmph. Etihad Rail’s passenger fleet will comprise 13 trains, each capable of carrying up to 400 passengers.
The launch of passenger rail services from Dubai marks the expansion of the UAE’s intercity rail network, with the new connections offering passengers another option for travel between Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Fujairah.