September 28 marked the beginning of a new journey for Dubai with the inauguration of the Etihad Rail station in the emirate, two days ahead of the launch of passenger services to Abu Dhabi and Fujairah.
Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Etihad Rail, inaugurated the station. Ahead of the inauguration, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan became the first passenger to arrive at the Dubai station, boarding the inaugural Etihad Rail train from Abu Dhabi to “surprise” Sheikh Hamdan, Sheikh Theyab, and other officials and Etihad Rail staff.
Sheikh Hamdan praised Sheikh Mohamed, describing him as “being always among his people….and [being] there to celebrate their achievements.” The UAE President’s visit inspires a desire to “aim higher, achieve more and serve the UAE with even greater purpose,” he added.
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Continuing legacy
UAE leaders are often closely involved in the landmark projects and innovation seen in the country. Sheikh Hamdan’s inauguration of the Etihad Rail Dubai station represents a continuation of his father’s legacy — Dubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has a long history of inaugurating an iconic mode of transport, the Dubai Metro.
[Sheikh Mohamed’s] presence honoured us, brought us immense joy and made our celebration twice as special
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
When the Dubai Metro began operations on September 9, 2009, Sheikh Mohammed became the first passenger, boarding the rail at Mall of the Emirates Station along with other officials. And seventeen years later, he announced a new “fully underground” Dubai Metro Gold Line, a Dh34-billion project, in April 2026. A month after that, in May, he also inaugurated the tunnelling work on the newly announced Blue Line of the Dubai Metro, which he termed the “the world’s most beautiful metro”, scheduled to open on September 9, 2029
Etihad Rail, Dubai Metro connection
Etihad Rail connects to Dubai Metro, offering passengers an integrated travel experience. Etihad Rail lists Jumeirah Golf Estates Metro Station on the Red Line as the Metro connection for Dubai’s Al Yalayis.
The Metro station is listed as 1,000 metres away, with Etihad Rail saying passengers can use it to continue into Dubai’s public transport network. The station amenities also specifically list a transfer bridge to the Metro. The Metro running hours displayed on the Etihad Rail website are 12.05am to 11pm.
Dubai passenger services launch on September 30
Etihad Rail will operate 10 daily journeys between Dubai and Abu Dhabi when its Dubai passenger service launches on September 30. Passengers will be able to travel directly between Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Fujairah. The booking platform shows one direct service from Dubai to Fujairah on September 30.
The Dubai-Abu Dhabi journey takes about one hour and four minutes, while passengers travelling directly between Dubai and Fujairah can complete the trip in around one hour and 10 minutes. Fares start from Dh39 to Abu Dhabi and Dh29 to Fujairah.
Source: Khaleej Times
