UAE: First look inside Etihad Rail's passenger trains from Abu Dhabi to Dubai

Passengers can travel from Abu Dhabi to Dubai in 50 minutes

Ashwani Kumar

Published: Fri 21 Jan 2022, 3:51 PM

Last updated: Fri 21 Jan 2022, 10:25 PM

UAE’s hi-tech passenger trains will have swanky coaches with stylish interiors and comfortable seats, according to the first images of the project released by Etihad Rail.

The Rail Passenger Service, part of the UAE Railways Programme, flaunts an aerodynamic design, which is a key feature of high-speed trains. The train is expected to hit a speed of 200 km/hr.

The coaches, in silver and grey colours, show different types of seating similar to the flight classes. The seats are arranged in 2+2 format across the coaches.

Some seating arrangements feature a seat-back tray for eating and reading. There are tables with face-to-face seats, too. And there is dedicated space for wheelchairs, catering services with modular style pantry units and microwave ovens. Other facilities like Wi-Fi and charging points are expected inside the coaches.

Most of the world-class facilities of a short-distance train can be seen in the first images revealed by Etihad Rail. The train will be connecting 11 cities within the country. Passengers can travel from Abu Dhabi to Dubai in 50 minutes, and from the Capital to Fujairah in 100 minutes. By 2030, the number of passengers is expected to reach more than 36.5 million annually.

The images show train passing through desert and city areas. The city’s skyline can be seen through the windows of the train, which indicates the tracks could be running parallel to major highways.

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The Dh50 billion UAE Railways Programme, launched in December 2021, is the largest integrated system for transporting goods and passengers across the country.

The programme includes a national network of railway projects that link the emirates and the key cities of the country. The programme includes three key projects: Freight Rail, Rail Passenger Services and the Integrated Transportation Service. The programme contributes to providing more than 9,000 jobs in the railway sector and supporting sectors by 2030.