All You Need To Know About The New Etihad Rail Network

The first national passenger and freight railway network which will connect all the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates will be the Etihad rail network. This railway network will be approximately 1200 km long and the cost of which is estimated to be AED40bn ($11bn). To reduce road traffic, this new railway project is hoped to be an efficient and sustainable means of transportation of passengers and freight throughout rural and urban areas of the emirate.

According to Etihad’s official website, this marvellous project will be completed in three stages. “Opened in 2016, the first phase of the railway network is a 266km-long western stretch between Al Ruwais and Shah. It connects Ruwais with Habshan and further links Habshan with Shah. The Shah-Habshan-Ruwais freight line was built in collaboration with Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC). The second phase connects Abu Dhabi with Dubai. It also provides links to Jebel Ali port, Mussaffah and Khalifa port. The third phase is the extension to link the northern Emirates. The second and third phases are expected to be completed by 2024.”