Etihad Rail starts Abu Dhabi to Dubai passenger trains, 57-minute journey

Etihad Rail started passenger trains between Abu Dhabi and Dubai on 30 September 2026. A trip takes about 57 minutes. The Abu Dhabi to Fujairah service had opened earlier, on 30 June.

The Dubai route connects Mohammed Bin Zayed City station in Abu Dhabi with Al Yalayis station in Dubai, close to Jumeirah Golf Estates. The first timetable offers 10 trains a day on the Abu Dhabi to Dubai route. The Abu Dhabi to Fujairah route has six a day. Trains run at up to 200 km/h and have room for as many as 400 people.

The cheapest Abu Dhabi to Dubai fare is Dh39 in Comfort Class. Premium Class starts at Dh109. Passengers can buy through the Etihad Rail website and app, or at machines in the stations.

On 2 October the operator added three services for the weekend of 3 and 4 October. That released over 1,000 extra seats on each of the two days.

Connections in Dubai

Al Yalayis station is joined by a pedestrian bridge to the Jumeirah Golf Estates stop on the Metro Red Line, so travellers can switch to urban rail. Plans involving Dubai's Nol system are also meant to make trips easier across the train, Metro, tram and bus networks.

Next stages

Service to Dubai and Al Dhaid began on 30 September. The announced schedule for more stations is:

• 30 November 2026: Madinat Zayed and Liwa.
• 30 December 2026: further Al Dhafra stops, including Al Sila, Al Dhannah and Al Mirfa.
• 30 March 2027: University City in Sharjah.

These dates may change with operational developments. The wider plan is a phased passenger network reaching 11 cities and regions.

Separately, Etihad Airways and Etihad Rail signed a memorandum of understanding in September 2026 to look at combined flight and train journeys. Khaleej Times noted that no nationwide system for booking both together exists yet.

For visitors and residents, the train is a way to travel between Abu Dhabi and Dubai without driving or taking a taxi, with a Metro connection on the Dubai side. Those planning a wider trip can look at tours from Abu Dhabi.

Khaleej Times reported the details on 27 October 2026.