Etihad Rail Opens Dubai Station, Linking Abu Dhabi and Dubai by Passenger Train
Al Yalayis Station opens in Jumeirah Golf Estates with 10 daily journeys from Abu Dhabi, as the national passenger network adds its third Dubai stop.
Karim El-Sayed Karim El-Sayed covers company news, policy and regulation across the UAE and wider MENA for Anecdoted, with a focus on how new rules and licences reshape how startups operate. karim@anecdoted.com
Etihad Rail opened Dubai's Al Yalayis Station on September 30, formally starting its national passenger network and putting the country's two largest business hubs on a single rail line.
The Dubai stop follows the first passenger service between Abu Dhabi and Fujairah, which began running on June 30. Trains now leave Dubai for Abu Dhabi and Fujairah, giving travellers an intercity option that does not depend on the road network. Abu Dhabi is 64 minutes away. Fujairah takes about 70 minutes. Al Dhaid station also opened the same day.
What the network looks like at launch
- Top speed: 200 km/h
- Fleet: 13 trains, each carrying up to 400 passengers
- Initial Dubai service: 10 daily journeys from Abu Dhabi
Al Yalayis Station sits in Jumeirah Golf Estates and is the third railway station to open in Dubai. Construction finished ahead of schedule.
President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan inaugurated the station on Monday, with senior UAE leaders present. He travelled by train from Abu Dhabi to Dubai ahead of the public launch.
Connections at Al Yalayis
A pedestrian bridge of roughly 400 metres links the station to Jumeirah Golf Estates Metro Station, which puts the Red Line and the rest of Dubai's metro network within reach. The station also has parking, and taxis, buses and private transport operators cover the final leg of a trip.
Etihad Rail ran trial operations before opening day, testing stations, trains and the route through Abu Dhabi, Mohamed bin Zayed City and Al Yalayis. The trials also examined the passenger experience and how well the rail service connects with other transport networks.
Early demand and fares
Bookings for the Abu Dhabi-Fujairah route opened in June. More than 5,000 passengers reserved seats within two days, and the Etihad Rail app became the most downloaded free app in the country.
Introductory fares on that route began at AED55 for Comfort Class, which includes guaranteed seating, Wi-Fi, a power point at every seat and generous luggage space. Premium Class started at AED120 and adds wider seats and complimentary refreshments.
Etihad Rail Mobility operates the service. The company is a joint venture between Etihad Rail and the international operator Keolis, combining rail experience from outside the region with knowledge of the local market.
Passenger rail was announced as part of the UAE's Projects of the 50 less than five years ago. The opening of the Dubai connection brings the capital and the east coast into one system that has been carrying passengers since the end of June.
Al Dhafra and Sharjah are scheduled to join the network in later phases.
