Sheikh Mohammed boards first Etihad Rail passenger train from Dubai to Fujairah
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, travelled aboard the inaugural Etihad Rail passenger service from Dubai’s Saih Al Dahal station to Fujairah on 2 August 2025. The journey marked the first public‑facing use of the network’s passenger rolling stock, following the completion of key track‑laying and signalling works on Stage 2 of the federal railway project. Officials from Etihad Rail, the Federal Transport Authority – Land & Maritime, and the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure accompanied the Ruler on the 90‑minute trip.
The 1,200‑kilometre Etihad Rail network connects 11 cities and industrial centres across all seven emirates, integrating with existing and planned seaports and logistics zones. Freight operations between Al Dhannah and Jebel Ali commenced in February 2024; passenger services are scheduled to open to the public in phases from mid‑2026. The train sets supplied by CAF of Spain provide seating for up to 400 passengers per consist and are designed for maximum speeds of 200 km/h.
During the journey Sheikh Mohammed inspected passenger amenities, including business‑class seating, on‑board Wi‑Fi, and bicycle storage areas. Etihad Rail representatives demonstrated the digital ticketing platform, which will feature multi‑modal integrations with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority. Early timetable projections indicate travel times of 50 minutes between Abu Dhabi and Dubai and approximately 100 minutes between Abu Dhabi and Fujairah once services are fully operational.
Project financing for the UAE rail network was secured through a federal budget allocation supplemented by bank facilities arranged in 2022. The master construction contract for Stage 2 was awarded to a joint venture of China Railway Construction Corporation and Abu Dhabi‑based Ghantoot Transport & General Contracting. Track and systems testing on the remaining northern alignment sections will continue through Q1 2026.
