UAE: You can use Nol cards to book tickets for Etihad Rail passenger trains

You could use nol cards to travel on Etihad Rail passenger trains once they start chugging across the UAE. The ticketing system will be “one of the various ticket booking and fare payment solutions” to travel on the pan-UAE railway network.

This came as Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and Etihad Rail — the developer and operator of the national railway network of the UAE — signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the sidelines of the World Governments Summit.

The agreement marks the first step in a joint venture which will see the RTA developing ticket booking and fare payment solutions through its nol system.

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Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, said the ticket reservation and payment systems will be available to Etihad Rail’s passengers across the UAE. “The ultimate goal is to offer integrated, user-friendly, and efficient digital services,” he said.

Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed, Chairman of Etihad Rail, said the operator will leverage the RTA’s expertise in deploying smart technologies and solutions.

The number of active nol users has crossed five million, with over 30 million cards being sold since the system was introduced in September 2009. The RTA had recently announced a project to upgrade the existing nol system, which will see it transition away from the traditional plastic card technology to a digitally-powered one. The project aims to introduce a digital payment system using central transportation tariff wallet technology.

A launch date has not been announced yet for the UAE’s rail passenger services that will connect 11 cities from Al Sila to Fujairah. Trains will zoom between stations at speeds of up to 200kmph. They will reduce commute time by 30-40 per cent compared to other modes of transport. By 2030, the number of passengers is expected to reach more than 36.5 million annually.

Etihad Rail recently offered a glimpse into its passenger trains during the first rail journey between Abu Dhabi city and Al Dhannah region.

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