Union Rail Launches Passenger Services Set for 2026
The Union Rail initiative aims to connect 11 cities within the UAE, enhancing travel efficiency and supporting regional development.
Union Rail has announced plans to launch passenger transport services in 2026. The passenger train is expected to connect 11 cities and regions across the United Arab Emirates (UAE), focusing on enhancing connectivity and reducing travel times throughout the country.
Upon commencement, the duration of journeys will vary between 57 and 105 minutes, depending on the destination.
Specifically, the travel time from Abu Dhabi to Dubai is projected to be 57 minutes, while the journey from Abu Dhabi to Al Ruwais will take approximately 70 minutes.
Travel from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah is estimated at about 105 minutes.
The introduction of passenger services is anticipated to boost domestic tourism in the UAE, particularly by linking residential areas to popular tourist attractions.
This initiative is predicted to generate an estimated tourism benefit of 24 billion dirhams over the next 50 years.
Additionally, Union Rail emphasized that the operation of passenger transport services would encourage regional development, improve accessibility, and create new investment opportunities.
The initiative aims to facilitate workforce mobility and enable easier travel for individuals throughout the nation using a safe, reliable, and fast transport network.
This program is considered a national economic catalyst, as it features freight transport services as part of the national railway program, which has an investment of 50 billion dirhams.
The goal of this initiative is to develop a sustainable land transport system that provides a new roadmap for transporting goods and passengers by rail in the UAE.
According to the national railway program, the Union Rail network is expected to yield economic opportunities valued at 200 billion dirhams over the next 50 years.
This projection includes reduced business activity costs and anticipated savings of about 100 billion dirhams from transportation expenses and travel durations, alongside cost reductions of approximately 22 billion dirhams resulting from decreased road accidents.
The economic advantages are diverse, amounting to 23 billion dirhams, which includes improved access to land, among other benefits, as well as tourism savings estimated at 24 billion dirhams and 8 billion dirhams associated with road maintenance costs.
The railway network will also support the UAE's 2050 climate neutrality strategy by aiming to reduce carbon emissions in the land transport sector by up to 21% annually by 2050, equivalently decreasing 8.2 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year.
Each train journey is expected to lessen the number of trucks on the roads by up to 300, contributing to environmental savings estimated at 24 billion dirhams due to reductions in carbon emissions.
Upon commencement, the duration of journeys will vary between 57 and 105 minutes, depending on the destination.
Specifically, the travel time from Abu Dhabi to Dubai is projected to be 57 minutes, while the journey from Abu Dhabi to Al Ruwais will take approximately 70 minutes.
Travel from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah is estimated at about 105 minutes.
The introduction of passenger services is anticipated to boost domestic tourism in the UAE, particularly by linking residential areas to popular tourist attractions.
This initiative is predicted to generate an estimated tourism benefit of 24 billion dirhams over the next 50 years.
Additionally, Union Rail emphasized that the operation of passenger transport services would encourage regional development, improve accessibility, and create new investment opportunities.
The initiative aims to facilitate workforce mobility and enable easier travel for individuals throughout the nation using a safe, reliable, and fast transport network.
This program is considered a national economic catalyst, as it features freight transport services as part of the national railway program, which has an investment of 50 billion dirhams.
The goal of this initiative is to develop a sustainable land transport system that provides a new roadmap for transporting goods and passengers by rail in the UAE.
According to the national railway program, the Union Rail network is expected to yield economic opportunities valued at 200 billion dirhams over the next 50 years.
This projection includes reduced business activity costs and anticipated savings of about 100 billion dirhams from transportation expenses and travel durations, alongside cost reductions of approximately 22 billion dirhams resulting from decreased road accidents.
The economic advantages are diverse, amounting to 23 billion dirhams, which includes improved access to land, among other benefits, as well as tourism savings estimated at 24 billion dirhams and 8 billion dirhams associated with road maintenance costs.
The railway network will also support the UAE's 2050 climate neutrality strategy by aiming to reduce carbon emissions in the land transport sector by up to 21% annually by 2050, equivalently decreasing 8.2 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year.
Each train journey is expected to lessen the number of trucks on the roads by up to 300, contributing to environmental savings estimated at 24 billion dirhams due to reductions in carbon emissions.
