Dubai's Etihad Rail Station Set to Transform UAE Transport and Property Sectors

The eagerly awaited Etihad Rail station in Dubai is expected to have a transformative effect on the emirate's transport, infrastructure and property sectors when it opens at the end of this month, experts have said.

Dubai Al Yalayis Station, adjacent to Jumeirah Golf Estates, is taking shape, as construction teams work to complete the project in time for the scheduled opening on September 30. The National viewed the station from the street on Tuesday and it looked complete, with finishing touches being applied to roads and landscaping, and building crews finishing external elements such as the station's footbridge.

The journey from Dubai Al Yalayis Station to Abu Dhabi Mohamed bin Zayed City Station will take 57 minutes. Specifics, including ticket pricing and the number of journeys per day, have yet to be announced.

Dr Reem Sabouni, an associate professor at Abu Dhabi University who specialises in transport, said the service will lead to more people commuting between emirates. “The user may be willing to live outside Dubai or outside Abu Dhabi in another emirate and still commute for work, studies or leisure,” she said.

While Dr Sabouni is optimistic about the effects of the passenger rail service, she said the scale of its success will depend on first and last-mile connectivity. “A key factor is the user's ability to leave their car at their door or at a closer destination, and go through the public transport system to the railway and back,” she told The National.

Omar Mahfouf, a 28-year-old UK-based rail enthusiast who travels the world’s train routes for his YouTube channel, OM the Rails, believes the launch of the Dubai station will be a huge benefit for both commuters and tourists.

“There is a huge car dependency in the UAE and going from Dubai to Abu Dhabi by driving can take up to an hour and a half,” he said. “Taking the new Etihad rail service will be just under one hour, which is a significant time saving. And not only that, but you can enjoy the scenery of the desert landscape as it passes by.”

The opening of the station in Dubai is expected to play a key role in efforts to reduce car dependency in the Emirates and increase the use of public transport. Dubai’s 2040 Urban Master Plan has set the target of ensuring 55 per cent of the city’s population lives within 800 metres of a major public transport station by 2040.

Realtors are expecting a boom in property prices in the surrounding areas, collectively known as Dubai South, in the coming years. Pierre Bassez, a real estate expert, told The National he expects increases in property value in the next three to five years.

Luke Marston, associate director at real estate agency Century 21, said the spotlight could fall on rentals in the broader area, driving rental demand around Dubai Investments Park and Jumeirah Golf Estates.

Dubai Al Yalayis Station is next to Jumeirah Golf Estates in Me’aisem First, directly opposite the Jumeirah Golf Estates Metro Station, and is connected to the city by the E311, E44 and D57 roads.

In addition to Dubai, Sharjah's Al Dhaid station will be opening on September 30, marking the emirate's first connection to the rail network. Further stations will continue to open across Al Dhafra and Sharjah through 2027.