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Guaranteed seats on UAE's Etihad Rail passenger trains as new details announced
Officials said the next phase of the project marks a shift from building infrastructure to shaping how residents will use the service
- PUBLISHED: Wed 25 Feb 2026, 12:18 PM UPDATED: Wed 25 Feb 2026, 3:21 PM
Etihad Rail has revealed new details about its upcoming passenger service, offering the clearest picture yet of how the UAE's long-awaited rail network will function in daily life when operations begin later this year. The operator said services will feature guaranteed seating and fixed timetables.
According to the company, the passenger experience has been developed to reflect how people live, work and travel across the UAE today, positioning rail as a modern, comfortable, and reliable alternative to intercity driving. “Without the distractions of traffic, navigation or fatigue, families will be able to talk, play, read and share moments, turning the journey itself into part of the experience,” the company said.
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Etihad Rail added that the design aims to remove many of the pressures associated with long car journeys and reshape travel time into shared time. Officials described the next phase of the project as a shift from infrastructure to experience, with the service intended to fit naturally into residents’ daily routines.
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Built around routine travel
For daily commuters, the network will focus on predictability and peace of mind. A calm onboard environment, along with guaranteed seating, is intended to allow passengers to plan their day with greater confidence and turn travel time into productive or restorative time.
Azza AlSuwaidi, Deputy CEO of Etihad Rail Mobility, said reliability sits at the centre of the commuter offering.
“For commuters, we know that reliability is everything. Etihad Rail will offer a journey people can plan around — one that gives them useful and usable time back, rather than taking it away,” she said.
Business travellers are also a key focus, with onboard Wi-Fi, power at every seat and spacious interiors designed to create a connected environment where passengers can work, prepare for meetings or unwind while travelling between major economic centres.
Once fully operational, Etihad Rail will will connect 11 cities and regions, namely: Al Sila, Al Dhannah, Al Mirfa, Madinat Zayed, Mezairaa, Al Faya, Al Dhaid, Mohammed Bin Zayed City, Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai, University City in Sharjah and the Al Hilal area in Fujairah.
Families and leisure travel
Families and leisure travellers are expected to benefit from a safe, spacious and stress-free way to explore the country. The service will include family seating options that allow parents and children to sit together comfortably, alongside luggage storage aimed at supporting weekend trips, holidays and visits to relatives.
AlSuwaidi noted that the approach reflects broader social priorities, including the UAE’s Year of the Family in 2026.
“Our rail experience is designed to create a very different family dynamic. Instead of focusing on the road, families can focus on each other,” she said.
Each train is expected to carry up to 400 passengers, travelling at speeds up to 200 km/h. The network aims to serve 36 million passengers annually by 2030.
A national service
Etihad Rail said the passenger network has been developed as a national service with a distinctly Emirati identity, with station design and onboard features intended to reflect the country’s values of safety, quality and long-term public benefit.
Safety and reliability remain central to the experience, supported by international operational standards and best practice.
"This is a service built to reflect who we are as a nation — safe, welcoming, high-quality and designed to serve people for generations,” AlSuwaidi said.
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.
