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Etihad Rail at their doorstep: Meet UAE residents living next to new Abu Dhabi station
For teenagers hoping to attend concerts in Dubai, workers looking to avoid long drives, the countdown to departure has already begun
- PUBLISHED: Thu 25 Jun 2026, 9:54 AM
For years, residents of Mohammed bin Zayed City watched the massive Etihad Rail station rise from the desert outside their homes. Now, with the first passenger services set to launch on June 30, what was once a residential and industrial suburb on Abu Dhabi's outskirts is about to become the front door to a national railway network.
For residents living within walking distance of the new station, the biggest impact may not be faster journeys, but taking trips they previously did not make at all. For teenagers hoping to attend concerts and live matches in Dubai, workers looking to avoid long drives, and families eager to explore more of the country, the countdown to departure has already begun.
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The first phase of Etihad Rail's passenger service will connect Abu Dhabi and Fujairah, with ticket prices starting from Dh55 under a 50 per cent introductory discount. Additional stations in Dubai and Al Dhaid are due to open later this year, forming part of a wider network that will eventually connect 11 cities and towns across the UAE.
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For 16-year-old Palestinian resident Mohammed Arab, who lives just a one-minute walk from the station, the rail link represents newfound independence.
"I usually travel to Dubai and other emirates only during public holidays with my family," he said. "Since I don't drive yet and I was too young to travel alone anyway, this could change everything." Arab said he and his friends immediately began discussing the possibilities after learning how quickly trains would connect different parts of the country.
"If we are allowed to board the train alone, we can now go to matches and concerts held in Dubai, so we can diversify our outings, not just hang out in Abu Dhabi all the time." Having watched construction take place from his neighbourhood, he said he was surprised when he first learned about the planned travel times between emirates.
His mother, Dana Jawdat, an IT engineer, believes the station could raise the profile of the area.
"Of course, I am very excited," she said. "It will make things easier for people." While some residents have expressed concerns about increased traffic, Jawdat said authorities already appeared to be putting arrangements in place. "This is a very good thing for the area," she said. "The area will become more important and more strategic."
She currently travels outside Abu Dhabi only occasionally despite having work meetings in Dubai. "Right now, I go maybe once a year," she said. "If this is available, maybe I will go once a month."
The excitement extends beyond residents to businesses located near the station. Talaat Salah, an Egyptian expatriate working at Al Sultan Bakery, said the station is less than five minutes away on foot. He regularly visits friends in Dubai and Ajman and often relies on buses.
"Sometimes the journey takes two or three hours, depending on traffic," he said. The train, he believes, will make spontaneous trips far more practical.
Asked whether he plans to ride soon after launch, Salah did not hesitate. "On my first day off, I will go straight away," he said. "I'm excited to see the train, ride it and take a trip."
The launch promotion also caught his attention. He said he was delighted to hear about the introductory 50 per cent discount being offered on fares.
Business owners are also hoping the station will bring new customers to Mohammed bin Zayed City. "Of course it will help," Salah said. "More movement means more customers. We could see people coming from different emirates."
Moroccan expatriate Hayet Dillan, who frequently travels to Dubai to visit family, said the train could become her preferred option. "It is better because the travel time will be much shorter going and coming back," she said.
Dillan currently makes the trip two or three times each month by car but expects rail travel will make the journey easier and less stressful.
"It will help me 90 per cent," she said. Although she was unsure how much additional footfall nearby businesses would receive, she said the station's arrival would undoubtedly improve mobility for many residents.
The public reaction mirrors the anticipation seen across the UAE, where residents have spent years waiting for passenger rail services to become a reality.
