The Etihad Rail. ARCHIVE

Etihad Rail has revealed that one of its new passenger stations will be located in the Sakamkam area of Fujairah, marking another milestone in the UAE’s ambitious rail project. The announcement was made on Tuesday (October 8) at the Global Rail Conference in Abu Dhabi. The station will be one of 11 major locations across the country, part of a larger network that will connect all seven emirates. Adhraa Almansoori, director of public policy and sustainability at Etihad Rail, said the passenger station in Fujairah is just one component of the expansive 900km rail network that will link key cities from Ghuweifat to Fujairah. "We are connecting 11 cities and regions," Almansoori said, noting that a second passenger station will be built in Sharjah's University City. The passenger trains are expected to reach speeds of up to 200 km/h, and by 2030, the rail service aims to transport 36 million passengers annually. "While we are not ready to announce the start of operations for passenger services, we are currently in discussions with locomotive manufacturers to ensure sustainability and resilience," she added. The 900km Etihad Rail network is also integrated with a freight transport system, which has been operational since 2016. The freight service covers 264km, transporting critical goods like granulated sulfur, and is expected to carry up to 30 million tons of materials annually by 2030. The UAE is the first Gulf country to establish a cross-border rail connection, with the creation of Hafit Rail, a joint venture between Mubadala, Oman Rail, and Etihad Rail. This 300km route will link the UAE with Oman, extending all the way to Sohar Port. Environmental sustainability is a major focus for the rail project. Almansoori highlighted the network's goal of reducing CO2 emissions from land transportation by 21 percent by 2050. "This is equivalent to 8.2 million tons of carbon annually, which will have a significant impact on the UAE’s environmental goals," she said. ICA/Expat Media ALSO READ: Etihad Rail passenger service FAQs
For all the latest news from the UAE and the world, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube page