Launched as a part of the Projects of the 50, with an investment worth of AED 50 billion, the UAE Railway Programme constitutes an integrated strategy for the railway sector in the UAE for the coming decades. It includes a national network of railway projects that would link the seven emirates and the key cities of the UAE. The programme is expected to create economic opportunities amounting to AED 200 billion.

Objectives

The programme aims to:

• develop a sustainable road transport system that supports economic development in all sectors, including the environment, industry and tourism
• connect the country’s key centres of industry and production
• open new trade routes
• facilitate movement of people
• provide more than 9,000 jobs in the railway and supporting sectors by 2030
• reduce 70 to 80 per cent of carbon emissions over the next 50 years.

Key projects

The programme includes three key projects:

1. The freight rail - It includes the Etihad Rail freight services. The first phase of the Etihad Rail has been fully operational since 2016. It currently connects Ghuwaifat on the border with Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the port of Fujairah on the eastern coast.
2. The rail passenger services - They aim to connect 11 cities of the UAE; from Al Sila to Fujairah. Operating at a speed of 200 km per hour, the rail service will transport passengers from Abu Dhabi to Dubai in 50 minutes, and from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah in 100 minutes.
3. The integrated transportation service - An innovation centre will be established to ensure the integration of smart transportation solutions. A network of light rail will be connected to the passenger rail system to facilitate transportation inside the UAE’s cities. Smart solutions will also be developed to allow planning and booking trips, integrating logistics operations, port and customs services and providing integrated logistics solutions.

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