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Which Etihad Rail passenger stations will operate first in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Fujairah?
While the Fujairah station is fully ready, finishing touches are being putto the Dubai and Abu Dhabi stations
- PUBLISHED: Tue 19 May 2026, 1:38 PM UPDATED: Tue 19 May 2026, 5:25 PM
The first passenger stations of Etihad Rail have been revealed by a senior official. “The first stations that will be operational are the Mohamed bin Zayed City station in Abu Dhabi, the Jumeirah Golf Estate station in Dubai and the Fujairah station,” said Adhraa Almansoori, Executive Director of Commercial at Etihad Rail Mobility. She was speaking at a media preview of the passenger services.
She added that the passenger services of the Etihad Rail will start in 2026 as previously announced. “The Fujairah station is fully ready and we are putting finishing touched to the Dubai and Abu Dhabi stations,” she told Khaleej Times.
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Travelling at 200 kmph, the passenger service is expected to take 105 minutes to travel from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah. On what remains before the first passengers can board, Almansoori said the focus is firmly on readiness. “Right now, everybody is working on making sure that the operations readiness is complete. The top priority is safety and reliability of the service,” she said.
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Ticket rates
When asked about ticket rates, Almansoori said that the details of these were being finalized and will be revealed in due course. "All we can say now is that the tickets will be available on different machines and the passengers will be able to get them easily," she said. "There will be different packages available as well for people to choose from."
Almansoori added that the construction of the Fujairah station carried a strong local dimension. "Seventy per cent of the construction materials were from local suppliers, and 97 local suppliers provided other materials to the construction of the project," she said.
Earlier this month, Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Ruler of Fujairah, and Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, visited the station when it was completed, along with Chairman of Etihad Rail Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Almansoori said that the visit was “a historical moment because it marked the countdown for the initiation of the passenger stations”.
A chance to connect
Almansoori said the service was designed to give passengers back something increasingly precious — their time. “If you think about a businessman or employees riding the train, they can catch a little bit of quietness and relaxation, but at the same time they can plan their day, enjoy the journey, and reach their destination refreshed and ready to take on the day,” she said.
For families, she noted, the train offers a chance to connect. “They can sit together, interact with each other and enjoy the scenery. I believe this will create a lot of bonding memories between family members, especially in a year that is the Year of the Family.”
Once fully operational, the network will span 11 stations across 11 regions of the UAE. Almansoori said the network was expected to reshape how residents and visitors think about movement, investment, real estate, healthcare, education, culture and tourism across the country.
“We want to be part of their daily commute. We want them to be choosing the rail as a more sustainable, safer, reliable mode of transport,” she said. “And we look forward to the future.”
