Etihad Rail is getting ready to launch passenger services in 2026, promising to link major cities like Abu Dhabi and Dubai by train for the first time. For students and residents that could mean faster, cheaper, and more sustainable trips across the country, and a step towards a more connected Gulf region.

The UAE’s first national rail network project was created in 2009 to build a rail network that would connect the entire country. It has been rolled out in phases, starting with freight services in 2016 and growing into a roughly 900 km line by 2023. The network is designed to link all seven emirates and connect the UAE to its neighbours, including Saudi Arabia and Oman. Etihad Rail’s goal is not only to make it easier for people to travel, but also to ease pressure on highways by shifting trucks and passengers onto trains and support the UAE’s long‑term efforts to cut emissions and build a more sustainable transport system. According to Azza AlSuwaidi, the Deputy CEO of Etihad Rail Mobility, “The passenger rail network will serve as a cornerstone of the UAE’s national transport ecosystem, supporting the country’s long-term development and strengthening connectivity across its Emirates.

In a meeting in Abu Dhabi on Jan. 30, the Etihad Rail board reviewed how ready the network is to carry people, looking at station construction and new passenger trains. The company’s Board of Directors used the meeting to double down on the plan to launch passenger services in 2026, making a shift from a freight‑only network to one that will carry both goods and people.

The first phase of this rollout will focus on linking Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Fujairah, with more stations in Sharjah and other emirates after. Once it opens to passengers, Etihad Rail is expected to cover about 900 km of track, linking 11 cities and key areas across the UAE in its first phase, with more stations planned as the network grows. The opening services will link Mohammed bin Zayed City in Abu Dhabi, Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai, and Fujairah’s Al Hilal area, forming what Etihad Rail describes as the core spine of the national network. The passenger fleet will start with 13 trains, each being able to carry around 400 people and built to meet international standards for safety and comfort. For everyday travel, the Abu Dhabi – - Dubai route will probably see the most frequent services, with journey times much shorter than driving (50-57 minutes) and without the stress of highway traffic. Additionally, a high-speed rail project that would link Abu Dhabi and Dubai will reduce travel times to just 30 minutes.

Etihad Rail has yet to announce details on timetables and ticket prices. According to The National News, passenger projections expect 10 million a year once the network is fully operational. On board, passengers can expect different classes of service, Wi‑Fi, and accessibility features.

The network is designed to make freight more efficient: it would give factories, ports, and logistics hubs a faster and more predictable way to move goods, and boost tourism to places like Fujairah and the Northern Emirates, that are hard to reach without a car. Regular passenger services should also make it easier and cheaper for residents, commuters, and students to move between cities, which could gradually change where people decide to live, study, and work. Beyond 2026, Etihad Rail is meant to be more than a domestic project. It is already being positioned as a core part of a future Gulf‑wide rail system that could eventually carry both passengers and freight across borders. In that vision, the UAE’s network would act as a backbone linking to neighbouring states, making it just as normal to take a train between Gulf cities as it is to fly today.