Inaugural Abu Dhabi-to-Fujairah route set for June 30 rollout, slashing travel time to 1 hour 45 minutes with modern Comfort and Premium cabins.
DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates has officially heralded a new era of national transit as ticket bookings launched today for Etihad Rail’s highly anticipated passenger service. Commencing an introductory operational phase on June 30, 2026, the landmark rail network will first link Abu Dhabi and Fujairah, offering early commuters a massive 50% launch discount. Ticket sales went live on June 23, with introductory prices starting at just Dh55.
The official launch date and fare structures were revealed on Tuesday following the grand inauguration of the Mohamed bin Zayed City Passenger Train Station in Abu Dhabi by Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. The state-of-the-art hub serves as the anchor point for the maiden line, which connects the capital directly to the Al Hilal City station in Fujairah.
Spanning across a 900km national grid, the passenger trains will travel at speeds of up to 200 km/h. The inaugural Abu Dhabi-to-Fujairah route will compress a standard three-hour road trip down to just 1 hour and 45 minutes. During this introductory phase, Etihad Rail will run three daily direct services in each direction, meticulously timed to serve morning, afternoon, and evening commuters.
To mark the historic rollout, a limited-time 50% discount is automatically applied to round-trip bookings via the official Etihad Rail mobile application and website. Commuters can choose between two distinct tiers of onboard luxury. ‘Comfort Class’ tickets are heavily discounted to Dh55 (regularly Dh109), while the more upscale ‘Premium Class’ is priced from Dh120 (regularly Dh239). The Premium cabin boasts wider reclining seats, extra legroom, and complimentary gourmet snacks and beverages.
Every train in the 13-strong passenger fleet accommodates up to 400 passengers. Designed for seamless regional travel, the coaches feature advanced accessibility mechanisms, guaranteed assigned seating, complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi, personal power outlets at every seat, and generous overhead and bulky luggage storage facilities.
The network is slated to expand rapidly over the coming months. Following the June 30 introductory phase, the wider national network will officially launch on September 30, 2026, bringing the crucial Dubai and Al Dhaid (Sharjah) stations into daily operation. Expansion will continue with the opening of the Al Dhafra regional stations on December 30, 2026, culminating in the final completion of the network with the launch of the primary Sharjah Train Station on March 30, 2027.
The Evolution of UAE Infrastructure: First conceptualized to transform the GCC’s logistics and transit landscape, Etihad Rail successfully launched its commercial freight operations in February 2023, moving millions of tonnes of cargo across the emirates. The expansion into passenger rail services links 11 major cities and regions, directly integrating with local metro lines, public buses, and urban taxi systems to establish a fully unified national transport ecosystem.
