It’s official. Abu Dhabi and Dubai are now connected by a massive railway line, and you could see trains chugging between the two Emirates soon.
The UAE Finance Minister and the Chairman of Etihad Rail gave the world a glimpse of what this journey would look like as they installed the final piece on the railway track.
Here is what you need to know.
How long is the railway line between Abu Dhabi and Dubai?
The track is 256km long.
How long will it take for a train to travel between the two Emirates?
As per information released earlier, passengers can zip from Abu Dhabi to Dubai within 50 minutes.
With top speeds of 200kmph, passengers will be able to commute between Abu Dhabi and Fujairah in 100 minutes; between Dubai and Fujairah in 50; and between Abu Dhabi and Al Ruwais in 70 minutes.
Abu Dhabi-Dubai line, explained.
The line includes 29 bridges, 60 crossings and 137 drainage channels. The total excavation and backfill work amounted to 46 million cubic metres. Over 13,300 workers logged in more than 47 million working hours.
What kind of train rides can passengers look forward to?
According to the first images shared by Etihad Rail earlier, the UAE’s hi-tech passenger trains will have swanky coaches with stylish interiors and comfortable seats.
The coaches, in silver and grey colours, show different types of seating similar to the flight classes. The seats are arranged in a 2+2 format across the coaches.
When will other tracks come up?
According to the UAE Government Media Office, the track serves as preparation for linking the rest of the emirates to an integrated national railway network in the UAE. It was earlier announced that passenger trains will connect 11 cities and locations in the country from Al Sila to Fujairah. With a capacity of 400 riders per train, the number of passengers is expected to reach more than 36.5 million annually by 2030.
How long has trains been running in the UAE?
Etihad Rail is now completing Stage Two of the UAE National Rail Network. Stage One of the network has been operational since 2016.
