Dubai's Etihad Rail Service Debuts With Maiden Voyage to Abu Dhabi

Dubai's highly anticipated Etihad Rail passenger service has officially launched its first journey, marking another major milestone for the public transport network in the UAE. On Wednesday, The National accompanied travelers on the 6.14am departure from Al Yalayis Station, located near Jumeirah Golf Estates, as it headed toward Abu Dhabi.

This new Dubai connection arrives three months after the initial Abu Dhabi-Fujairah route opened to the public, representing a crucial phase in the nation's ongoing initiative to link the Emirates more closely, boost economic development, and prompt drivers to trade highway travel for trains during their regular commutes.

As a vital transit link, the first Dubai route on the Etihad Rail network connects the emirate directly with Abu Dhabi and Fujairah. Earlier on Monday, President Sheikh Mohamed and Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, participated in the inauguration of the Etihad Rail station in Dubai.

The newly opened station features a 400-metre-long elevated pedestrian walkway that provides direct connection to the current Dubai Metro Red Line. Furthermore, the station is scheduled to function as an interchange linking two metro routes once the Gold Metro Line begins operations in 2032.