The UAE's landmark Etihad Rail network is moving full steam ahead, with the launch of a long-awaited passenger line fast approaching and major expansion of its freight services taking shape.
Etihad Rail, the developer and operator of the large-scale public transport scheme, offered a glimpse into the future at the recent Global Rail conference held in Abu Dhabi.
Key deals were signed to help fast-track development goals - including the appointment of a company to operate passenger services and an agreement with a leading ride-hailing company to enhance connectivity.
Etihad Rail also unveiled a large topographic map showing 10 passenger stations on an expanded route for the network, which will eventually run for 900 kilometres across the UAE, from the border with Saudi Arabia to Fujairah.
The map showed several additional potential passenger stations across the UAE at places such as Sila, Mirfa, Madinat Zayed in the Al Dhafra Region and Al Dhaid.
Azza Al Suwaidi, deputy chief executive at Etihad Rail Mobility (passenger services division), would not comment on the map at the event but said Etihad Rail was “working really hard in delivering the project”.
“We are connecting 11 cities and areas within the UAE,” she said. “That is how we are going to service the UAE in terms of passenger [stations].”
When will passenger line launch?
Etihad Rail's passenger service remains on track to launch in 2026.
Ms Al Suwaidi said Etihad Rail is working to ensure the stations are linked with existing and future transport from Dubai Metro to buses and more, in what is known as the “last mile”.
It is planned for the passenger service to not only transform transport in the UAE but also eventually connect to Oman and potentially across the Gulf. When it is launched, passengers can expect travel times of 57 minutes from Abu Dhabi to Dubai and 105 minutes from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah.
The rail operator also said the travel time between Abu Dhabi and Al Ruwais, about 240km west of the capital, will be 70 minutes.
Mapping out the potential route
According to the map on show at Global Rail, the passenger service will run from the Fujairah station in Sakamkam, to Al Dhaid Station, which will be north-east of the city. From there, it will branch off to the Sharjah Station, situated near University City.
The train will then return to the main line to cut through the desert, heading towards the Dubai station. This station is situated just behind the Jumeirah Golf Estates Metro Station.
Next, the 57-minute non-stop journey to the capital leads to Abu Dhabi Station, in Mohamed bin Zayed City, opposite Dalma Mall.
Heading west into the Al Dhafra region, the train will branch into two directions. Towards the border with Saudi Arabia, it will stop at Mirfa Station, south-west of the city. Continuing onward, it will stop at Al Dhannah Station before terminating at Sila Station, just south of the Western region city.
Taking a right towards Liwa, there will be a stop at Madinat Zayed Station. It will terminate at the Mezairaa Station, north of Liwa.
Etihad Rail declined to comment further on the rail map, but said further announcements were expected in the near future.
A passenger station model was also on display at the conference, showing a modern long building with cream coloured panels and Arabic motifs.
Four stations have previously been announced, in Fujairah, Sharjah, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi.
Who will run the passenger network?
Etihad Rail this month announced a venture with Keolis International, a French company that already manages the Dubai Metro, to operate passenger trains.
Passenger numbers across the Etihad Rail network are expected to reach 36 million by 2030, to boost connectivity between the emirates and take cars off the roads to further environmental goals.
Keolis, often through joint ventures, is involved in operating and maintaining metro and regional rail networks globally such as Dubai Metro, the Valleilijn regional service in the Netherlands, and the Docklands Light Railway in London.
Plans to boost connectivity
Etihad Rail announced an agreement with taxi company Yango Group at Global Rail, which is being seen as a step towards bolstering access to passenger stations once the train service begins.
It sets out how Etihad Rail could harness Yango’s ride-hailing service around stations. It aims to support passenger pick-up and drop-off points, streamline vehicle entry and exit procedures, and help reduce congestion.
Keeping trade moving
Efforts are under way to expand the capacity of Etihad Rail’s freight network as business grows, a senior official has said.
Omar Al Sebeyi, acting chief executive of Etihad Rail's freight section, said the network is operating at full capacity when it comes to transporting aggregates, the crushed stones that are crucial for construction projects in the UAE.
The aggregates are transported from quarries in the Northern Emirates on wagons on the freight line to stations in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
The freight network stretches from the border with Saudi Arabia to Fujairah. Aside from aggregates, freight trains carry loads such as petrochemicals, polymers and general cargo in shipping containers.
It has other benefits. It was previously announced that every train could take up to 300 lorries off the UAE’s roads, and the network aims to reduce CO2 emissions in the country's road transport sector by 21 per cent annually by 2050.
Dubai to Abu Dhabi to 30 minutes
A high-speed passenger rail service between Abu Dhabi and Dubai is also in the works, separate to the main Etihad Rail network.
The new line from Etihad Rail - first announced in January - would cut the journey time between the two emirates to 30 minutes.
Trains will run at up to 350kph on a route that will pass through key destinations and tourist attractions.
The new high-speed electrified line will feature six stations at Reem Island, Yas Island, Saadiyat Island, Zayed Airport, close to Al Maktoum Airport in Dubai and Jaddaf, near Dubai Creek, Etihad Rail said.
Construction has yet to start and a date for the launch of services was not revealed but tenders for contracts have been issued and network designs approved, Etihad Rail said previously.
Kandahar%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ric%20Roman%20Waugh%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EGerard%20Butler%2C%20Navid%20Negahban%2C%20Ali%20Fazal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
Manchester United's summer dealings
In
Victor Lindelof (Benfica) £30.7 million
Romelu Lukaku (Everton) £75 million
Nemanja Matic (Chelsea) £40 million
Out
Zlatan Ibrahimovic Released
Wayne Rooney (Everton) Free transfer
Adnan Januzaj (Real Sociedad) £9.8 million
RESULTS
ATP China Open
G Dimitrov (BUL x3) bt R Bautista Agut (ESP x5)
7-6, 4-6, 6-2
R Nadal (ESP x1) bt J Isner (USA x6)
6-4, 7-6
WTA China Open
S Halep (ROU x2) bt D Kasatkina (RUS)
6-2, 6-1
J Ostapenko (LAT x9) bt S Cirstea (ROU)
6-4, 6-4
ATP Japan Open
D Schwartzman (ARG x8) bt S Johnson (USA)
6-0, 7-5
D Goffin (BEL x4) bt R Gasquet (FRA)
7-5, 6-2
M Cilic (CRO x1) bt R Harrison (USA)
6-2, 6-0
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.
The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.
“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.
“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”
Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.
Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.
“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.
Brief scoreline:
Liverpool 2
Keita 5', Firmino 26'
Porto 0
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
Dunbar
Edward St Aubyn
Hogarth
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2-litre%204-cylinder%20petrol%20(V%20Class)%3B%20electric%20motor%20with%2060kW%20or%2090kW%20powerpack%20(EQV)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20233hp%20(V%20Class%2C%20best%20option)%3B%20204hp%20(EQV%2C%20best%20option)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20350Nm%20(V%20Class%2C%20best%20option)%3B%20TBA%20(EQV)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMid-2024%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ETBA%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MATCH INFO
Norwich City 0 Southampton 3 (Ings 49', Armstrong 54', Redmond 79')
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
World Sevens Series standing after Dubai
1. South Africa
2. New Zealand
3. England
4. Fiji
5. Australia
6. Samoa
7. Kenya
8. Scotland
9. France
10. Spain
11. Argentina
12. Canada
13. Wales
14. Uganda
15. United States
16. Russia
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Coffee: black death or elixir of life?
It is among the greatest health debates of our time; splashed across newspapers with contradicting headlines - is coffee good for you or not?
Depending on what you read, it is either a cancer-causing, sleep-depriving, stomach ulcer-inducing black death or the secret to long life, cutting the chance of stroke, diabetes and cancer.
The latest research - a study of 8,412 people across the UK who each underwent an MRI heart scan - is intended to put to bed (caffeine allowing) conflicting reports of the pros and cons of consumption.
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, contradicted previous findings that it stiffens arteries, putting pressure on the heart and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, leading to warnings to cut down.
Numerous studies have recognised the benefits of coffee in cutting oral and esophageal cancer, the risk of a stroke and cirrhosis of the liver.
The benefits are often linked to biologically active compounds including caffeine, flavonoids, lignans, and other polyphenols, which benefit the body. These and othetr coffee compounds regulate genes involved in DNA repair, have anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower risk of insulin resistance, which is linked to type-2 diabetes.
But as doctors warn, too much of anything is inadvisable. The British Heart Foundation found the heaviest coffee drinkers in the study were most likely to be men who smoked and drank alcohol regularly.
Excessive amounts of coffee also unsettle the stomach causing or contributing to stomach ulcers. It also stains the teeth over time, hampers absorption of minerals and vitamins like zinc and iron.
It also raises blood pressure, which is largely problematic for people with existing conditions.
So the heaviest drinkers of the black stuff - some in the study had up to 25 cups per day - may want to rein it in.
Rory Reynolds
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
More from Neighbourhood Watch
