UAE’s first passenger train begins service: Inside Etihad Rail’s inaugural journey

Etihad Rail's passenger train service has begun in the UAE. Here's what to know about the inaugural journey, planned routes, train features, and the project's significance.

Etihad Rail passenger train begins service in UAE (File Photo)Etihad Rail passenger train begins service in UAE (File Photo)
Written by: Anish Mondal
4 min readJun 30, 2026 02:53 PM IST First published on: Jun 30, 2026 at 01:56 PM IST

UAE first passenger train service launched: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has launched its first-ever passenger train service today, marking a major milestone in the country’s transport network. Operated by Etihad Rail, the Abu Dhabi-Fujairah passenger train has commenced its inaugural journey, completing the trip in just 105 minutes (1 hour and 45 minutes).

The launch comes less than five years after it announced the UAE Railway Programme under the Projects of the 50 initiative in 2021. In the coming months, the UAE passenger train service will expand further.

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The Dubai Train Station and Al Dhaid Train Station are scheduled to open on September 30, 2026, followed by the launch of stations in the Al Dhafra region on December 30, 2026. The passenger rail network will be fully completed with the opening of the Sharjah Train Station on March 30, 2027, linking the entire network across 11 cities and regions in the country.

Anish Mondal is a journalist with over nine years of experience covering the railways and roadways. ... Read More

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