Etihad Rail passenger service: stations, routes, journey times and nearby property

The UAE now has intercity passenger trains. Etihad Rail's passenger service runs between Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Al Dhaid in Sharjah and Fujairah, and more stations open over the coming months, in Al Dhafra and in Sharjah.

This guide sets out the stations, routes, journey times and fares as Etihad Rail has announced them, then looks at the communities on our site that sit near the stations. It is written for buyers weighing a home near a station or a commute between emirates, so it sticks to what has been announced and dated.

Jump to: the stations, journey times and fares, the Dubai station, property near the stations, what is next, what it means for buyers.

It is the passenger arm of the UAE's national railway, run by Etihad Rail Mobility, a joint venture between Etihad Rail and the transport operator Keolis. The trains share the national network that has carried freight since 2023.

The passenger project was one of the UAE's Projects of the 50, announced in December 2021. Etihad Rail announced the full passenger network in January 2026: 11 cities and regions, with the first four stations in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and Fujairah, and seven more at Al Sila', Al Dhannah, Al Mirfa, Madinat Zayed, Mezaira'a, Al Faya and Al Dhaid.

The trains

The fleet has 13 trains, each for up to 400 passengers, and the passenger trains run at up to 200 km/h. Seats are guaranteed, and every seat has Wi-Fi and a power socket. There are two classes, Comfort and Premium.

The routes are fully separated from roads, and the service runs to a fixed timetable. Stations open from 05:00 to 23:00 every day.

How the service opened

An introductory service between Abu Dhabi and Fujairah began on 30 June 2026. The Dubai station was inaugurated on 28 September 2026, and the official launch of the national network followed on 30 September 2026, adding Dubai and Al Dhaid.

In its first 30 days after the official launch, Etihad Rail recorded 120,000 ticket sales across the network.

Four stations are open: Mohamed Bin Zayed City in Abu Dhabi, Al Yalayis in Dubai, Al Dhaid in Sharjah and Al Hilal City in Fujairah. The other seven of the 11 named stations open in phases from 30 November 2026.

Abu Dhabi: Mohamed Bin Zayed City

Abu Dhabi's station is on the mainland in Mohamed Bin Zayed City, not on Abu Dhabi Island. Etihad Rail runs direct shuttle buses from the station to ADNOC Headquarters on the Corniche, the ADNEC Centre in Al Rawdah, Reem Mall on Al Reem Island and Yas Mall and the hotels and attractions on Yas Island.

The station has car parking, taxi and ride-hailing bays, a bus stop, car rental, shops and food outlets, a family waiting area and a prayer room.

Fujairah: Al Hilal City

Fujairah's station is in Al Hilal City. It has parking, taxis, buses and car rental. Trains from Fujairah run to Abu Dhabi, with some calling at Dubai and Al Dhaid on the way.

Dubai: Al Yalayis

Dubai's station is in Jumeirah Golf Estates at Al Yalayis, off Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road. It is the network's main link with Dubai's own transport, through a bridge to the Metro. More on that below.

Sharjah: Al Dhaid now, University City next

Al Dhaid is inland in Sharjah's central region, on the line between Dubai and Fujairah. Sharjah's main station is planned at University City, close to the city, and is due on 30 March 2027.

Etihad Rail gives Abu Dhabi to Dubai as 57 minutes, Abu Dhabi to Fujairah as 1 hour 45 minutes and Abu Dhabi to Ruwais as 70 minutes. Comfort fares start at AED 39 between Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Reading the timetable

The service runs to a timetable, so your real journey depends on which train you catch. On the published schedule, for example, a morning train leaves Dubai at 06:14 and reaches Abu Dhabi at 07:18, and another leaves Abu Dhabi at 06:43 and reaches Dubai at 07:47.

At launch Etihad Rail announced 10 daily journeys between Abu Dhabi and Dubai and six between Abu Dhabi and Fujairah. Frequencies change as the network grows, so check the live schedule on the Etihad Rail website or app before you plan a commute around it.

Booking

Tickets are sold through the Etihad Rail app, the website and station ticket machines. Journeys that continue on the Dubai Metro, tram or buses can be bought as one Nol-linked ticket that uses a single QR code.

A worked example: Jumeirah Golf Estates to the Abu Dhabi Corniche

Say you live in Jumeirah Golf Estates and work near ADNOC Headquarters on the Abu Dhabi Corniche. On the published timetable, the 06:14 from Dubai reaches Mohamed Bin Zayed City at 07:18.

From there, Etihad Rail's shuttle bus runs to ADNOC Headquarters on the Corniche. There is no single door-to-door time, so add the walk or drive to Dubai Station, any wait, and the shuttle ride, then compare the total with your current drive on the same day of the week.

Do the same sum from wherever you are looking to buy. A home a short walk from a Red Line station can use the Metro and the bridge instead of a car; a home deep inside a large community may need a drive and a parking space at either end.

Using the Metro to reach the train

Jumeirah Golf Estates Metro Station is on the Red Line's branch towards Expo 2020, so homes along the Red Line can reach the rail station without driving. From the city end of the line, check whether your train runs on the Expo 2020 branch, or change where the Red Line splits.

Because the Nol-linked ticket covers both legs with one QR code, you can buy the Metro part of the trip with the train ticket rather than separately.

A 375-metre enclosed pedestrian bridge joins the Etihad Rail station at Al Yalayis to Jumeirah Golf Estates Metro Station on the Red Line. Etihad Rail says the walk takes about five minutes.

The bridge opened on 16 October 2026. Before then, passengers needed a taxi or the station's bus and drop-off area to reach the Metro. The station also has parking, taxis and ride-hailing, a bus stop and car rental.

The Gold Line from 2032

The Dubai Metro Gold Line, approved in April 2026 and due on 9 September 2032, is planned to link with Etihad Rail at two points: Jumeirah Golf Estates and Meydan. It is a 42 km underground line with 18 stations, running from Al Ghubaiba to Jumeirah Golf Estates.

Once open, it would give the rail station a direct Metro route through Jumeirah Village Circle, Al Barsha South, Meydan and Business Bay. Our guide to the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan explains how the line fits the government's wider transport plan.

In Dubai, the station is inside Jumeirah Golf Estates. In Abu Dhabi, Zayed City sits beside Mohamed Bin Zayed City, and the station's shuttles serve Al Reem Island and Yas Island. In Sharjah, University City sits next to Aljada and Muwaileh.

The tables below list projects we track in these places. Being near a station is one factor among many; the price, the developer, the payment plan and the handover date of each project matter more.

Dubai: Jumeirah Golf Estates

Jumeirah Golf Estates is a gated freehold golf community built around the Earth and Fire courses, with villas and townhouses. The Etihad Rail station sits within it, and the Red Line station is across the bridge. Our news story on the opening of the Al Yalayis station covers the first day of service.

Dubai: along the future Gold Line

The Gold Line route passes several areas with off-plan supply. Jumeirah Village Circle is the closest Gold Line community to Jumeirah Golf Estates on the announced route. Further along are Al Barsha South, Mohammed Bin Rashid City and Nad Al Sheba.

Close by on the Red Line are Al Furjan and Dubai Investments Park. Our guide to living in Al Furjan covers the Metro and road links from there.

Abu Dhabi: Mohamed Bin Zayed City and around

Zayed City sits on the mainland between Mohamed Bin Zayed City and Zayed International Airport. Our guide to living in Zayed City covers the district.

The station's shuttle buses run to Reem Mall on Al Reem Island and to Yas Mall on Yas Island, so homes there can reach the train without a car. See our guides to living on Al Reem Island and living on Yas Island.

Sharjah: University City

Sharjah's University City station is due on 30 March 2027. Aljada, Arada's master community, and Muwaileh sit next to University City. Our guide to living in Aljada covers the community.

Al Dhaid, Fujairah and Al Dhafra

We do not track off-plan projects near Al Dhaid, Al Hilal City in Fujairah or the Al Dhafra stations. For the east coast, our Dibba Al Fujairah page covers projects in the north of Fujairah, a separate area from Al Hilal City.

Madinat Zayed and Liwa on 30 November 2026, the remaining Al Dhafra stations on 30 December 2026 and Sharjah on 30 March 2027. After that, Etihad Rail has said it will study extending passenger services to more emirates.

The high-speed line

The high-speed rail project, announced on 23 January 2025, is separate from today's passenger service. It is planned as a fully electrified line between Abu Dhabi and Dubai at up to 350 km/h, with a journey of about 30 minutes.

Etihad Rail has said tenders were issued and network designs approved, with later phases to follow. Its stations, route and opening date have not been announced, so treat any station location you see in a brochure as unconfirmed.

It adds a fixed-time option for travel between emirates, which matters most if you live near a station and work, study or visit family in another emirate. It does not change how you should judge a project.

Who it suits

• Cross-emirate commuters. Someone living in Jumeirah Golf Estates or along the Red Line and working near Mohamed Bin Zayed City, or the other way round, can now rail commute on a timetable.
• Families with ties in two emirates. Weekend trips to Fujairah or Abu Dhabi without driving.
• Buyers choosing between Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The train shortens the practical distance between the two markets. Our guide to buying property in Abu Dhabi as a foreigner covers the rules on the Abu Dhabi side.

What to check

1. Distance to the station from your home, not from the community gate. Large communities can be several kilometres across.
2. The last mile. Is there a Metro, shuttle or bus link, or will you drive? Check parking at the station and its charges.
3. The timetable. Match the departure and arrival times to your working day. Trains run at set times.
4. The other end. Abu Dhabi's station is in Mohamed Bin Zayed City; check how you get from there to your office.
5. Dates for future stations and lines. University City in 2027 and the Gold Line in 2032 are announced dates; plan around today's network.
6. Noise and position. If a home overlooks the line or the station, visit at train times.

Buying near a station that is not open yet

Sharjah's University City station is due in March 2027 and the Al Dhafra stations by the end of 2026. Those dates come from Etihad Rail and have so far been met or brought forward: Madinat Zayed and Liwa were moved forward to 30 November 2026.

For a home that hands over after the station is due, the station should be running when you move in. For a home handing over earlier, plan your first months around today's roads and buses, and treat the train as something that arrives later.

What the train does not tell you

A station nearby is not a reason on its own to buy, and nobody can tell you in advance what it will do to any one home's value. Judge the project on its developer, its registration and escrow, its payment plan and its handover date. Our guide on how to check an off-plan project and developer in Dubai walks through those checks.

Etihad Rail. The developer and operator of the UAE's national railway, for freight and passengers.

Comfort and Premium. The two travel classes on the passenger service.

Dubai Station. Etihad Rail's name for its station at Al Yalayis in Jumeirah Golf Estates.

Abu Dhabi Station. Etihad Rail's name for its station in Mohamed Bin Zayed City.

Nol integration. One ticket, shown as a QR code, that covers an Etihad Rail journey and onward travel on Dubai's Metro, tram and buses.

High-speed rail. A separate planned Abu Dhabi to Dubai line at up to 350 km/h; not part of today's passenger service.