Etihad Rail accelerates Al Dhafra station openings to November 30 for festival season

Accelerated opening for festival season

Etihad Rail will open its Madinat Zayed and Liwa passenger stations on November 30, 2026, bringing forward the launch date to coincide with the start of the Al Dhafra region's annual festival season.

The accelerated timeline was directed by Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in the Al Dhafra Region, during a meeting with Etihad Rail's leadership at Al Nakheel Palace in Abu Dhabi. Sheikh Hamdan, who has overseen the region's development since 2009 after serving in senior federal roles including Deputy Prime Minister, reviewed the latest progress on the UAE's expanding railway network during the session.

The decision aligns the station openings with the 20th Al Dhafra Festival, which runs from October 27, 2026 to January 13, 2027. The festival features camel beauty contests and heritage competitions with total prize money exceeding AED 97 million, drawing visitors from across the region and beyond.

Expanding national connectivity

The two new stations will extend passenger services into western Abu Dhabi, adding to the network that began operations between Abu Dhabi and Fujairah on June 30, 2026. Dubai and Al Dhaid stations are scheduled to open on September 30, with Sharjah station completing the initial rollout on March 30, 2027.

Etihad Rail's 900-kilometer network spans all seven emirates, connecting Al Sila and Ghuweifat on the Saudi border in the west to Fujairah on the east coast. The infrastructure includes 593 bridges and crossings and nine tunnels totalling 6.5 kilometers in length, engineered to traverse challenging terrain including the Hajar Mountains.

During the meeting, Sheikh Hamdan emphasized that President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan's support for strategic infrastructure projects underpins the UAE's vision for an integrated and sustainable transport system. He noted that the opening of the Mohammed bin Zayed City station in Abu Dhabi by Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan marked a significant milestone in the nation's transport development.

Meeting growing demand

Shadi Malak, Etihad Rail's chief executive, briefed Sheikh Hamdan on strong customer demand since passenger services launched, as well as ongoing developments including future stations and joint projects in Al Sila'a. The railway is projected to carry 36.5 million passengers annually by 2030.

The passenger service operates 13 trains manufactured by CAF, each accommodating up to 400 passengers and reaching speeds of up to 200 kilometers per hour. Etihad Rail Passenger Services, a joint venture between Etihad Rail and international operator Keolis, manages daily operations.

While the freight network has been fully operational since February 2023, replacing approximately 7,000 truck journeys daily across the 900-kilometer route, the phased passenger rollout represents a new phase for the railway established under Federal Law No. 2 in 2009.

The network is designed to integrate with the broader Gulf Cooperation Council railway system, which will eventually connect the UAE with Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain.

Sheikh Hamdan praised the national talent operating the expanding passenger service and commended Etihad Rail's role in strengthening the UAE's transport infrastructure. He emphasized that the accelerated Al Dhafra station openings will support visitor movement during the region's peak event season while demonstrating the country's capacity to deliver world-class infrastructure projects.

The meeting was attended by Nasser Mohammed Al Mansouri, Undersecretary of the Ruler's Representative Court in Al Dhafra Region.