By Desmond Nleya
RTA says four Etihad Rail stations will connect Dubai to the national network and the planned 30-minute Abu Dhabi link
DUBAI: Dubai will have four stations connected to the Etihad Rail network, including two dedicated to the planned high-speed rail service linking Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has revealed.
RTA Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors Mattar Al Tayer made the announcement on Monday during a press conference for the inaugural RailX Dubai Conference and Exhibition.
Two stations will serve Etihad Rail’s conventional national passenger network. One of these is the Al Yalayis Station, the emirate’s main Etihad Rail passenger station, which is scheduled to open on September 30.
Al Tayer said another conventional Etihad Rail station would be built in Dubai but did not disclose its location.
Two high-speed stations
Dubai will also have two stations for the separate high-speed rail project connecting Dubai with Abu Dhabi.
The stations will be located at Al Maktoum International Airport and Al Jaddaf.
The high-speed railway is planned as a fully electrified network and is expected to cut travel time between Dubai and Abu Dhabi to around 30 minutes.
The project is designed to provide faster connections between the UAE’s two largest economic centres while improving access to employment, business and tourism opportunities.
Connected to Dubai Metro
The new rail infrastructure will be integrated with Dubai’s existing and planned public transport network.
According to Al Tayer, the Etihad Rail stations will connect with the Red, Green and Blue Metro lines, as well as future routes under consideration, including the proposed Gold Line.
The integration forms part of Dubai’s long-term rail master plan, which aims to create a seamless transport network linking different parts of the emirate and connecting Dubai with other cities across the UAE.
Al Tayer said RTA is working closely with Etihad Rail to ensure the national rail projects complement Dubai’s wider transport strategy.
The development is expected to strengthen Dubai’s position as a regional transport hub while giving residents and visitors more options for travelling between the emirate and Abu Dhabi.
