UAE starts trial run of first passenger railway ahead of September launch

ABU DHABI: The United Arab Emirates has started trial runs of its first passenger railway, Etihad Rail, ahead of scheduled passenger operations beginning on September 30.

The trial phase began on Tuesday, following project work by several state-run Chinese contractors, according to China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency.

The service will initially operate on the Abu Dhabi-Fujairah route, cutting travel time between the capital and the eastern emirate to around 105 minutes.

The trial marks the start of a phased rollout of the UAE’s passenger rail network.

Scheduled passenger operations will begin on September 30, connecting Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Al Dhaid and Fujairah.

The network will then expand to stations in the Al Dhafra Region in December 2026, followed by Sharjah in March 2027.

Fares on the Abu Dhabi-Fujairah route will start at Dhs55 for Comfort Class and Dhs120 for Premium Class.

Etihad Rail’s passenger fleet includes 13 trains, each with a capacity of up to 400 passengers.

Customers have been able to book journeys and buy tickets through the Etihad Rail mobile application and official website since June 2026.

The passenger rail project follows the UAE Railway Programme, which was announced under the Projects of the 50 initiative in 2021. The launch is expected to improve domestic connectivity and support business, investment and community movement across the Emirates.