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Etihad Rail to operate 10 daily journeys between Dubai and Abu Dhabi
More than 150,000 passengers used Etihad Rail’s introductory Abu Dhabi-Fujairah service, with customers typically booking around 10 days in advance
- PUBLISHED: Tue 29 Sept 2026, 4:02 PM
Etihad Rail will operate 10 daily journeys between Dubai and Abu Dhabi when its Dubai passenger service launches on September 30, giving residents multiple options throughout the day to travel between the two emirates.
From Wednesday, passengers will be able to travel directly between Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Fujairah, with Dubai’s Al Yalayis Station in Jumeirah Golf Estates joining the network. The operator will also run six daily journeys between Abu Dhabi and Fujairah. The Dubai-Abu Dhabi journey takes about one hour and four minutes, while passengers travelling directly between Dubai and Fujairah can complete the trip in around one hour and 10 minutes.
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“We have designed the timetable around the reality of how people travel, with services throughout the day, making rail a practical option for everyday journeys,” said Ameera Alkhlaifi, Director of Strategy & Growth at Etihad Rail. The expansion comes after more than 150,000 passengers travelled on Etihad Rail’s introductory Abu Dhabi-Fujairah services, with repeat journeys growing and customers typically booking around 10 days in advance.
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Etihad Rail said feedback and customer behaviour from the introductory phase are helping shape the passenger experience as more destinations come online. “Every new destination added to the network brings the benefits of passenger rail within reach of more people and communities across the UAE,” said Adhraa Almansoori, Executive Director of Commercial at Etihad Rail Mobility.
Why take the train instead of driving?
For residents accustomed to driving between emirates, Etihad Rail said the train offers a different way of using travel time.
Passengers have a guaranteed seat, Wi-Fi and access to power onboard.
The journey gives passengers time to work, read, relax or spend time with family and friends rather than focus on the road, Etihad Rail said.
The operator said growing repeat use on the Abu Dhabi-Fujairah service indicated that passengers were increasingly incorporating rail into their regular travel.
Etihad Rail described the network as a new option for work, leisure and everyday journeys between cities, with passengers able to plan around predictable journey times.
More stations coming
The September 30 expansion is one stage of a phased rollout of Etihad Rail’s passenger network.
Madinat Zayed and Liwa are scheduled to join the network on November 30.
Additional stations in Al Dhafra will follow on December 30.
Sharjah’s University City station is scheduled to open on March 30, 2027.
The long-term vision also extends beyond the UAE.
Etihad Rail pointed to Hafeet Rail, the planned railway connecting the UAE and Oman, as an example of the potential for wider regional connectivity, creating new links for the movement of people and goods across borders.
As Associate Editor, Sahim Salim helps tell the UAE story like no one else does — and leads a team of reporters that asks the questions to get news and headlines that matter.