At dawn this Tuesday, one of the United Arab Emirates' most important strategic projects — Etihad Rail — embarked on its inaugural passenger journey from the emirate of Fujairah to the capital Abu Dhabi. In doing so, it completes the second phase of its strategic objectives, following the launch of its freight service in 2024, which marked the beginning of the National Rail Programme — a programme set to expand the horizons of transport and mobility across the UAE by linking major commercial ports and key cities through passenger rail services.
This comes after the project achieved remarkable success in the freight sector during the two years since its launch, drawing close to realising its near-term targets of transporting approximately 60 million tonnes of goods by 2030.
The project also aims to reduce transport costs by 30%, in addition to saving around 8 billion dirhams in road maintenance expenditure. Now, the second strategic step is underway, with a passenger operation targeting more than 36 million riders by 2030. The early signs were highly encouraging: more than 5,000 tickets were booked within just the first two days of online sales opening.
Calling Etihad Rail — in both its freight and passenger dimensions — a strategic national project is no exaggeration; it truly deserves that designation. When 7 logistics hubs across the country, 4 major ports, and commercial and industrial zones are all interconnected,
along with residential and urban communities, within a modern, advanced, and high-quality rail network, you are looking at a new future that accelerates economic growth and reinforces sustainable social development throughout the nation.
This vital project will also contribute to reducing the number of trucks and vehicles on the roads. Beyond resolving the congestion that plagues the streets, it will undoubtedly lower the rate of traffic accidents and the devastating losses in lives and property that result from them — all the way to alleviating the strain and fatigue endured by drivers and passengers on a journey such as the one from Fujairah to Abu Dhabi.
Etihad Rail is a dream realised, a reality that we — citizens and residents alike — are living through, chapter by national chapter, as a success story added to the many achievements through which our wise leadership strives to keep this beloved nation at the pinnacle. We now await the completion of the project's Gulf connectivity phase, when the joy will extend to all Gulf Cooperation Council states.