The launch of the Etihad Rail passenger service next year will be followed by a luxury train service in 2028 “if all goes according to plan”, according to the Italian hospitality company responsible for building the carriages.
Paolo Barletta, chief executive of Arsenale Group, said on Friday that plans for the luxury service are on schedule.
“The Etihad Rail infrastructure is getting longer every day, completing important miles. We hope that as soon as the network is completed and in operation, we will be able to come with one of our trains a short time after that,” he tells The National.
Barletta's company, which is also building Saudi Arabia's Dream of the Desert luxury train, signed an agreement with Etihad Rail in 2023 for a luxury service that will benefit from the railway's vast network. Etihad Rail's passenger service, which will initially connect 11 areas within the UAE, is set to launch next year. The service will eventually connect all seven emirates, transforming the country's transport system.
The luxury trains, to be built by Arsenale Group, are expected to cross the UAE from Fujairah in the east down to Liwa Desert in Abu Dhabi. The train will comprise 15 luxury carriages, which are currently being built in Italy.
“We hope we will be as successful as in Saudi Arabia and maybe we can have a running train by 2028 in the UAE,” Barletta says.
He was at the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh earlier this week to unveil a mock-up of ultra-luxury Dream of the Desert, which is scheduled to begin operations next year.
Billed as the first five-star train in the Middle East, it has 31 private suites and two presidential suites, and can accommodate up to 66 guests. The train also includes two restaurant cars and a majlis lounge “adorned with finely carved wood finishes, desert-inspired hues and golden accents that reflect the warmth and richness of Saudi heritage”.
Dream of the Desert will travel from Riyadh along 1,300km of existing railway lines and make stops at locations “that showcase Saudi Arabia’s most captivating landscapes and destinations”. These include Unesco World Heritage sites as well as “another extraordinary hidden destination” to be revealed soon.
The train's interior has been realised by Lebanon-born architect and designer Aline Asmar d'Amman, founder of Culture in Architecture studio, and honours Saudi and Italian design heritage, Arsenale Group said.
Luxury train travel is the “perfect way to visit a country”, says Barletta. “You have hotels and you have cruise ships, but these hotels on wheels give you the kind of experience you can't get any other way.
“Trains give you the opportunity to discover the country in a different way. To visit all the mountains that are in Hatta before you get to Fujairah, the beauty of the Empty Quarter in the desert of Liwa... there is so much in the country that can be explored. And with luxury trains, you can do it in maximum comfort. You just arrive at the station, embark on a train and the day after you are in a different place.”
He also hopes a resurgence of rail travel in the GCC will lead to growing demand for luxury travel. Across the Gulf, more rail links are in the works with all six member states at various levels of progress on a 2,000km, region-wide railway project due to be completed in 2030.
“It is something that in the next 10 years will be a reality... tracks that will go from the UAE to Oman to Saudi Arabia to Qatar to Bahrain,” says Barletta. “Imagine how incredible it will be that in three or four days, I can take a train in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, and one day I'm in Saudi Arabia, one day I'm in Oman, the other day I'm back in the desert of Liwa.”
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
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.
Try out the test yourself
Q1 Suppose you had $100 in a savings account and the interest rate was 2 per cent per year. After five years, how much do you think you would have in the account if you left the money to grow?
a) More than $102
b) Exactly $102
c) Less than $102
d) Do not know
e) Refuse to answer
Q2 Imagine that the interest rate on your savings account was 1 per cent per year and inflation was 2 per cent per year. After one year, how much would you be able to buy with the money in this account?
a) More than today
b) Exactly the same as today
c) Less than today
d) Do not know
e) Refuse to answer
Q4 Do you think that the following statement is true or false? “Buying a single company stock usually provides a safer return than a stock mutual fund.”
a) True
b) False
d) Do not know
e) Refuse to answer
The “Big Three” financial literacy questions were created by Professors Annamaria Lusardi of the George Washington School of Business and Olivia Mitchell, of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Answers: Q1 More than $102 (compound interest). Q2 Less than today (inflation). Q3 False (diversification).
The Saga Continues
Wu-Tang Clan
(36 Chambers / Entertainment One)
LIST OF INVITEES
Shergo Kurdi (am)
Rayhan Thomas
Saud Al Sharee (am)
Min Woo Lee
Todd Clements
Matthew Jordan
AbdulRahman Al Mansour (am)
Matteo Manassero
Alfie Plant
Othman Al Mulla
Shaun Norris
'Ghostbusters: From Beyond'
Director: Jason Reitman
Starring: Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace
Rating: 2/5
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
