Rail in the UAE: Etihad Rail
Passenger trains
The first scheduled passenger train left Fujairah at 5:34 am on 30 June 2026 and reached Mohamed bin Zayed City Station in Abu Dhabi at 7:19 am. Dubai Station, at Jumeirah Golf Estates, and Al Dhaid Station opened with the official launch on 30 September 2026.4,3,5
| Stations | Opening |
|---|---|
| Abu Dhabi (MBZ City) and Fujairah | 30 June 2026 |
| Dubai and Al Dhaid | 30 September 2026 |
| Zayed City and Liwa | 30 November 2026 |
| Remaining Al Dhafra stations | 30 December 2026 |
| Sharjah | 30 March 2027 |
Source: Etihad Rail: Passenger; Etihad Rail: MBZ City passenger train station inaugurated2,7
Once complete, the passenger network will connect 11 cities and regions: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Fujairah, Al Sila, Al Dhannah, Al Mirfa, Madinat Zayed, Liwa, Al Faya and Al Dhaid. The fleet has 13 trains of up to 400 passengers each, operated by a joint venture of Etihad Rail and Keolis.8,7
Tickets and fares
- Fares start at AED 39 in Comfort Class and AED 109 in Premium Class.
- Tickets are sold in the Etihad Rail app, on its website and at ticket machines in the stations, up to five minutes before departure. Every train needs a reservation.
- Children aged 2 to 17 pay half fare, passengers aged 60 and over get 20% off, and infants on a parent's lap travel free.
- Each passenger can bring two items of luggage free. Comfort Class has Wi-Fi and power at every seat.
Source: WAM: UAE President travels aboard Etihad Rail from Abu Dhabi to Dubai; Etihad Rail: Passenger Charter3,8
For meetings between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the train takes about an hour station to station. Allow time to reach Dubai Station at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
Freight
Freight trains have run since February 2023 through 11 terminals and four major ports, including Khalifa Port and Jebel Ali. In 2025 they carried more than 6.5 million tonnes of sulphur, over 10 million tonnes of aggregates and 148,000 containers, replacing more than 500,000 truck journeys in Al Dhafra. Etihad Rail says one freight train can replace up to 300 trucks.1,6,9
By 2030 the network is expected to carry 60 million tonnes of freight and 36 million passengers a year. A bonded rail corridor between Khalifa Port and Fujairah Terminals was agreed at Global Rail 2025.10
The Oman link
Hafeet Rail, a joint venture of Etihad Rail, Oman Rail and Mubadala, is building a 238 km line from Sohar in Oman to the UAE network, a project valued at USD 2.5 billion. It was 40% complete in April 2026, with work under way at Al Ain, Al Buraimi, Sohar and Wadi Al Jizzi.10,11
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the train take from Dubai to Abu Dhabi?
About 64 minutes from Dubai Station at Jumeirah Golf Estates to Abu Dhabi Station in Mohamed bin Zayed City. Fares start at AED 39 in Comfort Class, and every train needs a reservation.
Sources
- Etihad Rail: The UAE's national rail project
- Etihad Rail: Passenger
- WAM: UAE President travels aboard Etihad Rail from Abu Dhabi to Dubai
- Etihad Rail: The UAE's first national passenger rail service begins (30 June 2026)
- Etihad Rail: Dubai Station
- Etihad Rail: Board of Directors reviews developments of the national rail network
- Etihad Rail: MBZ City passenger train station inaugurated
- Etihad Rail: Passenger Charter
- Etihad Rail: Freight
- WAM: Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed inaugurates Global Rail 2025
- Etihad Rail: Hafeet Rail announces 40% completion (20 April 2026)
Figures checked 22 October 2026. Prepared by Invest-Emirates.ae for general information. It is not investment, tax or legal advice; please confirm details with a qualified adviser before acting.