Etihad Rail launches first Dubai to Abu Dhabi passenger service

Etihad Rail’s first passenger train from Dubai to Abu Dhabi departed Al Yalayis Station at 6.14am local time on Wednesday 30 September 2026, arriving at Mohammed Bin Zayed City Station in Abu Dhabi at 7.18am after a 64-minute journey, marking the official launch of the Dubai passenger service (https://gulfnews.com/uae/dubai/etihad-rail-dubaiabu-dhabi-service-begins-excitement-builds-at-al-yalayis-station-1.500692875).

Five trains will run each way daily, departing Dubai at 6.14am, 7.14am, 1.14pm, 5.14pm and 6.14pm (https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/uae/2026/09/28/etihad-rail-dubai-abu-dhabi-fujairah-ticket-sale/). Fares Dubai-Abu Dhabi are Dh39 Comfort and Dh109 Premium. A Dubai-Fujairah service also began on 30 September, running Dubai to Fujairah 1.57pm-3.07pm and Fujairah to Dubai 11.54am-1.04pm, each about 70 minutes, with Dh29 and Dh89 fares (https://indianexpress.com/article/world/etihad-rail-passenger-train-dubai-abu-dhabi-fujairah-september-30-fare-timings-10898122/).

Al Yalayis Station, in Jumeirah Golf Estates, links to the Dubai Metro Red Line via a 400-metre elevated pedestrian walkway. Trains reach 200 km/h with 400-passenger capacity, and first-journey passengers got commemorative gifts including a coin dated September 30, 2026 and a luggage tag reading “I was part of the first journeys”.

Book online to save: a Dh39 Comfort ticket costs Dh60 from a station vending machine (https://gulfnews.com/living-in-uae/transport/etihad-rail-dubai-abu-dhabi-travel-tips-save-money-tickets-1.500692449). Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister, said: “Integrating Dubai into the national rail network would strengthen its transport infrastructure, improve accessibility to and from the city, and support its future growth and development ambitions.” The launch follows the UAE’s first scheduled passenger service, which began 30 June 2026 between Fujairah and Abu Dhabi.