ETIHAD RAIL PROJECT

Route of the Etihad Rail network

The Etihad Rail network extends westward to Saudi Arabia’s and Qatar’s borders. The western and eastern sections connect to Saudi Arabia via Ghweifat and Oman via Al Ain. The Emirate’s railway line connects Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Dubai.

After then, it continued to Fujairah and the northern emirates. The UAE railway will connect ports, key population centers, industrial locations, and raw material sources.

Stage Two of the railway line is 605 kilometers long. It connects the Emirates via Abu Dhabi, Khalifa Port, Kizad, Dubai, Ras al-Khaimah, Jebel Ali Port, Sharjah, and Fujairah on the UAE’s east coast. Stage Two of the route begins at the Saudi Arabian border at Ghuweifat.

By linking 11 towns and destinations, the network’s passenger services will offer connectivity inside the UAE. By 2030, there will likely be more than 36.5 million passengers annually.

One freight train takes the place of numerous lorries

When it comes to sustainability, rail travel performs quite well, and that should be praised. The fleet of trains and wagons operating on the Etihad Rail network will eventually replace 5,600 lorry journeys daily once fully operational. A fully loaded train also produces up to 80% less carbon dioxide than lorries moving the same cargo.

When fully operational, the Etihad Rail network will cut greenhouse gases by more than 2.2 million tonnes annually, equivalent to taking up to 375,000 automobiles off the road. This reduction is based on traffic volume predictions.

What can be shipped using trains?

Rail is an engine for economic expansion by linking a nation’s commercial hubs. Wagons will transport anything from consumer items to perishable food and drink along the Etihad Rail tracks in the upcoming years.

Hay, ceramics, polymers, sugar, metals, garbage, and shipping containers are just a few of the usual goods that are anticipated to move throughout the Emirates.

Depending on the load being transported, various wagons may be utilised. They consist of temperature-controlled carriages, flat-bed wagons, rail gondolas with low-side walls for loose bulk commodities, and intermodal steel containers.

Building the critical transportation network

A 264 km western section between Al Ruwais and Shah makes up Stage One of the railway network. It establishes a connection between Habshan and Shah and between Ruwais and Habshan. During this phase, bridges will be built, a railroad terminal will be made at Mirfa, and communication systems will be developed.

Stage Two construction is being done in a succession of packages. The mainline civil and track boxes are being aligned geographically within each emirate as part of a plan that ensures competitive tenders.

Ghuwaifat is connected to Stage One by 139 km of Package A. In September 2021, it was finished. The remaining packages are presently in construction.

The distance between Tarif and Saih Shuaib in Package B is 216 km, while the distance between Jebel Ali and Sharjah is 94 km. The last package, Package D, is 145 kilometers. In November 2021, nine tunnels were completed. With a $50 billion investment, a 256 km straight line connecting Abu Dhabi and Dubai was completed in March 2022.

Do passengers have access to Etihad Rail?

Yes, in the long run. The project will increasingly include passenger transportation in the coming years, even if the current focus is on expanding freight prospects. In a statement released in December last year, officials said, “by 2030, the number of passengers is estimated to reach more than 36.5 million yearly.” Still, they need to provide a start date for the first operation.

New passenger services will operate quickly at roughly 200 km/h. Stations will be located from Sila, close to the Saudi Arabian border, to Fujairah, on the east coast. According to the announcement, “passengers can travel by train from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah in 100 minutes and from Abu Dhabi to Dubai in 50 minutes.”