Etihad Rail

Etihad Rail is the national railway of the UAE. It will connect all the seven emirates and link the other five countries of the GCC: Kingdom of Bahrain, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, State of Kuwait and Sultanate of Oman. The construction of Etihad Rail is aimed at developing quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and transborder infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all.

Length and coverage

Etihad Rail will be 1,200 km long. In the south, it will run up to the border of Saudi Arabia and in the east, it will touch Oman. It will have several freight terminals, distribution centres and depots located close to major transport hubs, warehouses, and storage facilities across the UAE. Refer to the rail network map.

Services- Stage one

Etihad Rail commenced commercial activity in January 2016, after it had completed phase one of its network, which spans 264 Km from Shah and Habshan (the location of gas fields in the emirate of Abu Dhabi) to the port in Ruwais on the western coast of the emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Until 2020, Etihad Rail has transported more than 30 million tonnes of granulated Sulphur for Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC). The quantity is equivalent to around 1.8 million trucks. Etihad Rail has the capacity to transport 22,000 tonnes of granulated sulphur each day.

Benefits

Etihad Rail network will save freight charges and reduce business travel time. It will connect various areas and help in the expansion of industries and communities as a result. The region will experience more economic, social and cultural growth in the form of new job opportunities and industrial diversification. In addition, one train removes approximately 300 trucks from the road, producing 70- 80 per cent less carbon dioxide emissions than trucks required to transport the same tonnage.

Source: the official website of Etihad Rail