Desert express: UAE launches first national passenger rail network

By Lianne Kolirin, CNN

(CNN) — Paying passengers have been welcomed aboard the United Arab Emirates’ first national rail service as the initial phase of a long-awaited express train network that will eventually connect 11 cities across the region opened to the public.

The first service to run in the Middle Eastern country left Fujairah on the Gulf of Oman at 5:34 a.m. local time on Tuesday (9:34 p.m. ET on Monday). The inaugural service took an hour and 45 minutes to travel around 250 kilometers (155 miles) to reach Mohammed Bin Zayed City Station in the capital Abu Dhabi at 7:19 a.m. (11:19 p.m. ET on Monday).

This was the first of six services set to run on the network’s first day, as operator Etihad Rail launched its “introductory operational phase,” according to a press release sent to CNN.

More than 10,000 tickets were sold for the new train service ahead of its launch, Etihad Rail said in the release.

Etihad Rail has promised its customers a “modern travel experience,” complete with air conditioning, onboard Wi-Fi, power outlets and reserved seating. Also on offer are “premium class services” for “greater comfort and convenience,” according to the company.

Azza Alsuwaidi, Etihad Rail’s chief operating officer, said in the release: “The first departure from Fujairah this morning is the moment a national vision becomes part of everyday life, giving people a new way to connect with one another, with opportunity and with the places that make our country so unique. Years from now, today’s passengers will be able to say they were there at the very beginning.”

The network will be extended later this year when Dubai Train Station and Al Dhaid Train Station will open on September 30, followed by stations in Al Dhafra three months later. The overall route will be completed at the end of March next year with the opening of the Sharjah station, according to Etihad Rail.

Fares start at AED55 ($15) for Comfort Class and AED120 ($33) for Premium Class. At present, the firm’s fleet comprises 13 trains, each of which has a capacity for 400 passengers.

The 900-kilometer (560-mile) network has been part of a wider plan to reduce the UAE’s carbon footprint and develop a sustainable transport system.

When all stations are open, the network will connect the Gulf of Oman to the Persian Gulf, down through the emirates, into Abu Dhabi’s interior and to Ghuweifat on the border of Saudi Arabia.

Emiratis are known for their love of cars, so introducing a rail system meant having to find a solution to getting people between the train stations and their homes or other destinations.

Abdulla Hamad AlGhfeli, acting director general of the Integrated Transport Centre, the government agency responsible for transport, said it had worked closely with Etihad Rail.

“Together, we have integrated passenger rail with Abu Dhabi’s wider public transport network, making it easier than ever for residents and visitors to continue their journeys using buses, taxis and other mobility services,” he said.

There may have been plenty of excitement for the opening in the UAE, but whether the advent of rail travel impacts international tourism remains to be seen.

“To be honest, I’m not sure of the significance myself,” said train travel expert Mark Smith, founder of popular train website The Man in Seat 61.

“At this stage it doesn’t link Abu Dhabi with the outside world, I don’t hear from many people going there, and would anyone want to go where the new train goes?”

CNN’s Tom Page contributed to this report.

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