Abu Dhabi to Dubai in 57 minutes: Etihad Rail reveals journey times for passenger routes

Passengers will be able to travel from the capital to Fujairah in less than two hours when trains hit the tracks

Etihad Rail exhibits plans for the network at the Global Rail Transport Infrastructure Exhibition and Conference in Abu Dhabi. Pawan Singh / The National

Etihad Rail has announced the journey times for some of its main passenger routes.

Travelling from Abu Dhabi to Dubai will take 57 minutes, while a trip from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah on the east coast will take 105 minutes. The rail operator also said the travel time between Abu Dhabi and Al Ruwais, about 240km west of the capital, will be 70 minutes.

“Travel times for other destinations will be revealed in due course,” Etihad Rail said in a social media post on Monday.

While no date for the start of passenger services was revealed, the announcement marks another step forward for the rail service.

What do we know about Etihad Rail?

The planned passenger line is aimed at reducing commuting times, easing congestion and boosting tourism and trade. It was announced in March that a major station was to be built in Sharjah, close to the airport and University City, home to education institutions.

Once up and running, the station will help to increase the number of passengers on Etihad Rail to about 14,000 a day during the week, officials said.

It followed an announcement by Etihad Rail that the first passenger station would be built in Fujairah.

Other stations in Dubai and across the UAE are expected as part of plans for the passenger network to link 11 cities and regions across the country, from Al Sila to Fujairah, passing through Al Ruwais, Al Mirfa, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and Al Dhaid.

Passenger trains will travel at up to 200 kph and have space for up to 400 passengers. Officials have said they expect more than 36 million people a year to use the service by 2030.

In 2022, the operator said passengers could expect travel times of 50 minutes between Abu Dhabi and Dubai and about 100 minutes from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah. Etihad Rail has also previously confirmed the stations will be linked to existing transport infrastructure and passengers will have access to taxi and ride-hailing services.

Carriages will have Wi-Fi, entertainment systems, charging points and various food and drink options.

Watch: Etihad Rail's maiden passenger trip

Intended for work and leisure

The first passenger journey on Etihad Rail took place between Abu Dhabi and Al Dhannah, close to the Ruwais industrial complex, in January. Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, and managing director and group chief executive of Adnoc, was among the first passengers.

Once open for general services, the route will enable Adnoc employees to travel by train from Abu Dhabi to Al Dhannah.

Plans for a luxury train service were also unveiled last year in a deal signed between Italian luxury hospitality company Arsenale and Etihad Rail. The “rail cruise” is expected to cross the country from Fujairah to the Liwa desert in Abu Dhabi.

Etihad Rail’s freight network is already up and running, while the UAE and Oman are developing a railway line known as Hafeet Rail. The project is a joint venture between Mubadala, Oman Rail and Etihad Rail, and the it is to link the UAE with the Port of Sohar.

The project secured $1.5 billion in project financing, backed by a consortium of Emirati, Omani, regional and international banks, state news agency Wam reported last week. The deal was announced during the Global Rail Transport Infrastructure Exhibition and Conference in Abu Dhabi.

According to a report by the regional news service Meed, Etihad Rail has issued contracts to China Railway International Group, which show the first stations in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

In Dubai, the station will reportedly be behind the Jumeirah Golf Estates Metro station on the Red Line, and the Abu Dhabi station will be on the pipeline corridor that separates Mussafah Industrial Area and Mohammed bin Zayed City, between Dalma Mall and Musaffah bus station.

In Fujairah, the station will be in Al Hilal City.

Etihad Rail has not commented on the contracts.