Etihad Rail, the UAE’s federally owned rail developer, has begun selling tickets for its inaugural passenger service linking Abu Dhabi and Fujairah. The soft-launch follows a successful demonstration run on 30 June and marks the first time residents can travel end-to-end across the country by rail.
![Etihad Rail opens first Abu Dhabi–Fujairah passenger route, tickets on sale]()
For overseas visitors planning to hop straight from their arrival gate onto the new train, the first step is still obtaining the right entry documents. VisaHQ streamlines the process of securing tourist or business visas for the UAE through a fully online application portal, live status updates and doorstep courier options. You can start the application in minutes at https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/ and arrive with the paperwork handled, leaving you free to enjoy a seamless airport-to-Fujairah rail experience.
Initial services will operate at 200 km/h, covering the 256-kilometre route in about 100 minutes—competitive with peak-hour car journeys that can exceed three hours. More than 10,000 tickets were sold within the first 24 hours of release, reflecting pent-up demand from commuters, tourists and corporate travellers seeking an alternative to road travel. For global mobility programmes, the rail link creates a new domestic transfer option between Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport and Fujairah’s free-zone clusters. Organisations running split-site projects in the energy, logistics and hospitality sectors can now move staff without relying on costly charter buses or rental cars. The line is the first stage of a network that will ultimately connect all seven emirates and integrate with both the Dubai Metro (from September 2026) and cross-border GCC rail corridors. Etihad Rail says Phase 2 stations in Dubai and Al Dhaid will open on 30 September, with Sharjah following in March 2027. Pricing has not been finalised, but the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure has hinted at dynamic fares starting below AED 100 for economy class, with loyalty benefits for frequent commuters—a move expected to shake up the domestic travel market and reduce intra-UAE road congestion.
For overseas visitors planning to hop straight from their arrival gate onto the new train, the first step is still obtaining the right entry documents. VisaHQ streamlines the process of securing tourist or business visas for the UAE through a fully online application portal, live status updates and doorstep courier options. You can start the application in minutes at https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/ and arrive with the paperwork handled, leaving you free to enjoy a seamless airport-to-Fujairah rail experience.
Initial services will operate at 200 km/h, covering the 256-kilometre route in about 100 minutes—competitive with peak-hour car journeys that can exceed three hours. More than 10,000 tickets were sold within the first 24 hours of release, reflecting pent-up demand from commuters, tourists and corporate travellers seeking an alternative to road travel. For global mobility programmes, the rail link creates a new domestic transfer option between Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport and Fujairah’s free-zone clusters. Organisations running split-site projects in the energy, logistics and hospitality sectors can now move staff without relying on costly charter buses or rental cars. The line is the first stage of a network that will ultimately connect all seven emirates and integrate with both the Dubai Metro (from September 2026) and cross-border GCC rail corridors. Etihad Rail says Phase 2 stations in Dubai and Al Dhaid will open on 30 September, with Sharjah following in March 2027. Pricing has not been finalised, but the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure has hinted at dynamic fares starting below AED 100 for economy class, with loyalty benefits for frequent commuters—a move expected to shake up the domestic travel market and reduce intra-UAE road congestion.
