Dubai to Abu Dhabi by Train: Current Status

As of 2024, no passenger train operates between Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

The Etihad Rail Project

The UAE's national rail network, Etihad Rail, is building a passenger line connecting all seven emirates.

• Stage One (complete, freight only): 264 km from Shah/Ruwais (gas fields) to Al Mirfa, then to the Saudi border (Ghuwaifat).
• Stage Two (under construction): 605 km linking Ghuwaifat → Abu Dhabi → Dubai → Sharjah → Ajman → Umm Al Quwain → Ras Al Khaimah → Fujairah.
• Dubai–Abu Dhabi segment: ~140 km; planned stations in both city centers and at Al Maktoum International Airport (Dubai) and near Zayed Port (Abu Dhabi).

Timeline

• Freight operations: Running since 2016.
• Passenger services: Targeted for late 2020s (official date not yet announced).
• Expected journey time: ~50 minutes (vs. 1.5–2 hrs by car).

Current Alternatives

• Car/Taxi: 1.5–2 hrs via E11 (Sheikh Zayed Road) or E311 (Emirates Road).
• Bus: RTA E100/E101/E102 (frequent, ~2 hrs, AED 25–35).
• Flights: None (too short).

Watch Etihad Rail announcements for the passenger launch—it will transform inter-emirate mobility.