UAE soon to have a train to catch as Etihad Rail advances, GCC network shows promise

The UAE’s grandiose railway project, Etihad Rail, is rapidly approaching completion. It aims to revolutionize travel within the nation and beyond the region while also facilitating trade and commerce. This cutting-edge rail system promises to provide $200 billion worth of economic potential for the nation.

Etihad Rail is making progress on the massive project that was first announced 14 years ago, with the aim of connecting all seven emirates as well as the nation’s major ports and logistics hubs, starting with the launch of the UAE-wide freight services and the announcement of a forthcoming luxury rail service in the region.

A vital component of the planned GCC railway network, Etihad Rail was established in 2009 under Federal Law No. 2 with the task of managing the development, construction, and operation of the UAE’s national rail network, which was built to connect the main industrial, manufacturing, production, population, and import/export points in the nation.

The network of Etihad Rail has already improved the flow of products and people, creating new commerce routes and travel options. Alongside the UAE Centennial 2071 and the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030, the railway network is being built and run.

The turning point for Etihad Rail occurred in December 2021 with the launch of the UAE Railways Programme by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

This initiative aimed to transform the country’s transportation industry and pave the way for a sustainable future by integrating a vast network of railways for both goods and passengers.

The UAE National Rail Network, which Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid declared fully operational in February of this year, was successfully completed as the initial component of the freight network.

Modern freight networks facilitate efficient and seamless movement of goods, guaranteeing a quick and transparent transition from production to customer and supporting the nation’s trade and economy.

More than 1,000 wagons and a fleet of 38 locomotives make up the network. Each freight locomotive has a 4,500 horsepower, or 3,400 kilowatt, operating capacity. It is one of the Middle East’s most potent freight train engines.

By 2030, Etihad Rail hopes to convey more than 36.5 million passengers annually with the use of smart transportation solutions that it will introduce as a passenger service.

Beginning in January 2020, work has been done on the network expansion that will link the emirates that stretch the length of the UAE, from Fujairah on the eastern coast to Ghuwaifat on the Saudi Arabian border.

In 2023, Etihad Rail began operating freight services throughout the UAE and opened a network expansion connecting all seven emirates. This marked the beginning of significant new advancements.

As part of a new agreement with the Italian Arsenale Group, it was also revealed earlier this year that opulent passenger train carriages would run between the emirate of Fujairah and the Liwa desert in Abu Dhabi.

The deal is anticipated to bring to the Gulf nation an Orient Express-style service that will later be extended throughout the GCC.