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New ‘Rail to Road’ car rental service announced for Etihad Rail passengers
The partnership will allow passengers to collect a car at their arrival station and travel onwards to their final destination
- PUBLISHED: Mon 3 Aug 2026, 12:37 PM
A first-of-its-kind 'Rail to Road' service will allow Etihad Rail passengers to rent a vehicle directly from train stations to complete the final leg of their journeys across the UAE.
Thrifty Car Rental UAE said on Monday that it had secured an exclusive five-year partnership with Etihad Rail to provide car rental services across the national passenger rail network.
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Passengers will be able to book vehicles through the Etihad Rail app and website, as well as Thrifty’s platform. Each of the network’s 11 passenger stations will also feature a digital rental kiosk and a physical assistance desk.
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The two companies are working towards integrating vehicle reservations with train ticket bookings, allowing passengers to arrange both parts of their journey through a single digital process.
The service is intended to address the first- and last-mile transport needs of commuters, tourists and business travellers, particularly when their final destinations are not directly connected to a railway station.
Thrifty UAE said it would invest more than Dh10 million over the next five years in expanding its fleet, developing digital infrastructure and improving the customer experience.
An initial fleet of about 500 vehicles will be allocated to the service, with capacity expected to increase in line with passenger demand and the expansion of the rail network.
Thrifty UAE said more than 50 per cent of train commuters globally rely on car rentals or other shared mobility services to complete the final part of their journeys.
By combining rail travel with on-demand vehicle access, the partnership will allow passengers to collect a car at their arrival station and travel onwards to their final destination.
The company said it was also developing AI-powered booking and customer service features as part of the platform.
Abdulla Ahmed Almoosa, founder of A.A. Almoosa Enterprises, said: “True connectivity is about the entire journey from start to finish. By bringing Thrifty into the Etihad Rail network, we are bridging the gaps for passengers and helping build a smarter, fully connected, and sustainable future for travel in the UAE.”
Etihad Rail launched the first phase of its passenger service on June 30, connecting Abu Dhabi and Fujairah.
The network is scheduled to expand on September 30, 2026, with the opening of Dubai Station, located near Jumeirah Golf Estates, and Al Dhaid Station in Sharjah. The additions will extend passenger rail connectivity to two of the country’s major population centres.
Further stations are due to open in phases through late 2026 and early 2027.
Madinat Zayed and Liwa stations in Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra region are scheduled to open ahead of schedule on November 30, 2026.
Al Sila, Al Dhannah and Al Mirfa stations, also in the Al Dhafra region, are due to begin operations on December 30, extending the passenger network further west.
Sharjah University City Station is scheduled to open on March 30, 2027, completing the first phase of the passenger network.
Etihad Rail is expected to carry about 10 million passengers annually once the network is fully operational.
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.