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Etihad Rail Al Dhaid station opens: ‘Best option’ for Abu Dhabi trips, say passengers
The new station in Muragabat serves as a rail gateway for central Sharjah and nearby communities, including Shawka
- PUBLISHED: Wed 30 Sept 2026, 12:22 PM
Al Dhaid joined the UAE’s national passenger railway on Wednesday, giving Sharjah its first Etihad Rail station and connecting the emirate to Fujairah and Abu Dhabi.
The new station in Muragabat serves as a rail gateway for central Sharjah and nearby communities, including Shawka.
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Musabih Saif, a resident of Shawka near Al Dhaid, was among the passengers who boarded an Etihad Rail service from Fujairah to Al Dhaid on Wednesday morning.
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“Etihad Rail has become the first choice for citizens from the northern emirates to reach the capital, Abu Dhabi especially patients travelling for hospital treatment and follow-up appointments,” he said.
He added “They used to struggle to find transport and someone to take them. Now the train is the best and most reliable option for this group, as well as for students and trainees who do not have their own cars. It is the most suitable choice.”
The journey from Al Dhaid to Abu Dhabi takes just over an hour, while Fujairah is only 25 minutes away by train.
Inside Al Dhaid station
Al Dhaid Station has a prayer room, passenger waiting area, toilets, first-aid room, ticket vending machines, an information and support desk, and pick-up and drop-off bays.
Parking is currently free, with 26 spaces including seven for electric vehicles.
Three bus routes serve the station:
ER1: Al Madam Bus Station
ER2: Al Sajaa Bus Station
ER3: Al Jubail Bus Station
Taxis and ride-hailing are available. Sharjah taxi meter fares start from Dh3.
For residents of Al Dhaid and nearby villages, the new service could make a meaningful difference to everyday travel, from patients travelling to Abu Dhabi for hospital appointments and students without cars to families who no longer have to arrange a driver for a journey that once took up much of the day.
Ruqayya Alqaydi is an associate editor with an endless curiosity to learn. Like a journalist on a caffeine overdrive, she is fuelled by passion and on a mission to uncover every gem in the UAE.