Etihad Rail seen as key achievement under BRI

The trial operation of the United Arab Emirates' first passenger railway, which connects Abu Dhabi and Fujairah, marked the official dawn of the country's railway passenger era and stands as a testament to the high-quality Belt and Road cooperation between China and the UAE, officials and experts said.

Launched on June 30, the first phase of Etihad Rail's passenger service has markedly cut travel time between Abu Dhabi and Fujairah.

Zeng Jixin, Chinese ambassador to the UAE, said the Etihad Rail Station project fills a gap in the UAE's national railway passenger infrastructure.

"It is a landmark achievement of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation between the two nations, providing a successful example for deepening their comprehensive strategic partnership and advancing pragmatic cooperation in various fields," Zeng said.

As one of the UAE's largest infrastructure projects in recent years, the passenger railway will eventually connect 11 cities and regions across seven emirates with a total of 11 stations. The network is expected to handle 36 million passengers annually by 2030, providing highly efficient transport support for public travel, regional synergy, industrial linkage and urban development.

A number of Chinese enterprises — including China Railway International, China Railway Rolling Stock Corp, PowerChina and China Civil Engineering Construction Corp — played vital roles in the railway's development.

Notably, CRI and China Railway Construction Engineering Group undertook the integrated design and construction of three large and medium-sized stations — Abu Dhabi MBZ (Mohammed Bin Zayed City), Dubai Al Yalayis, and Fujairah (Al Hail area) — with a total construction area exceeding 20,000 square meters.

Yu Hao, a project manager at CRI, said the builders will fully leverage their whole-industry-chain advantages in the infrastructure sector to create more demonstration projects for China-UAE cooperation.

Chinese involvement in the railway's construction dates back to March 2019, when China State Construction Engineering Corp Ltd (CSCEC) Middle East undertook construction of the Etihad Rail Phase II Package A, becoming the first Chinese company to enter the UAE railway market. On Jan 8, 2021, UAE royal family members and government officials attended a track-laying ceremony to witness a key milestone of the project.

Beyond infrastructure, the core rolling stock of the passenger railway is also manufactured in China. The trial run utilizes 13 trains, each boasting a design speed of 200 kilometers per hour and a maximum capacity of about 400 passengers.

In January 2023, CRRC Sifang Co Ltd signed a supply contract with Etihad Rail for high-speed passenger diesel multiple units. This marked the first export of Chinese passenger DMUs to the UAE and represents the highest speed grade for DMUs globally.

Passengers can currently purchase tickets for the Abu Dhabi-Fujairah route via the official website and app. The trains offer two classes of seats, with one-way fares priced at 55 dirhams ($15) and 120 dirhams.

The subsequent stations will be put into operation in phases to gradually connect the entire regional network. According to the schedule, the Dubai and Al Dhaid stations will officially open on Sept 30 this year, followed by the Al Dhafra station on Dec 30. Sharjah Station will open on March 30, 2027, marking the comprehensive completion of the entire passenger line.