Etihad Rail: aerial photo shows Fujairah line progress

Railway project will connect the whole country

The Etihad Rail network in Fujairah cuts through the Hajar Mountains. Photo: Etihad Rail

Etihad Rail has published an aerial photograph to show the progress of the line on the UAE's east coast.

The image, posted to its social media channels, shows the railway cutting through Fujairah's Hajar Mountains and headed for the coast.

Progress of the UAE's first railway is advancing rapidly, with Etihad Rail saying more than 70 per of the line has been constructed.

In June, it was announced the first passenger station would be built in Fujairah.

The passenger trains will travel at speeds up to 200 kilometres an hour and can carry about 400 people. They will link 11 cities and areas across the UAE, from Al Sila in the west to Fujairah in the north.

Etihad Rail said stations will celebrate the joy of travelling and designs will encapsulate regional traditions.

“We see the stations as urban centres where people can gather,” Ahmed Al Hashemi, executive director of Etihad Rail passenger sector, previously told The National.

“The stations will fit into the environment and become part of urban development.”

No start date for the passenger service has been made public, but officials have said more than 36 million people will use the service annually by 2030.

Customers can expect a travel time of 50 minutes between Abu Dhabi and Dubai and about 100 minutes from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah, cutting commutes significantly.

The train will also boost the UAE's sustainability efforts. Carbon emissions will be reduced by 70 to 80 per cent, compared with the amount emitted by lorries, with one train journey replacing about 300 lorries on the road.

Dubai communities along Etihad Rail line - in pictures