UAE-France Rail & Mobility Days 2025: Rail, Metro, Tram: France strengthens mobility ties with UAE
Abu Dhabi & Dubai, United Arab Emirates: The UAE-France Rail & Mobility Days 2025 brought France's leading transport innovators to Abu Dhabi and Dubai on April 23 and 24, reinforcing strategic ties with the UAE and showcasing French expertise in rail, smart, and sustainable mobility—an initiative led by Business France.
Strategic Engagements to Support the UAE's Mobility Vision
The UAE is actively developing an integrated and future-ready transport network, supported by multi-billion-dollar investments:
A 2,117 km passenger and freight railway network, part of a broader initiative led by the UAE and Saudi Arabia to connect all GCC countries. The UAE's share of this investment is estimated at $13.6 billion.
A high-speed rail project between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, scheduled for completion by 2030.
Expansion of the Dubai Metro, led by RTA, is expected to serve 200,000 daily passengers by 2030. Construction began in 2024, with a total planned investment of approximately $4.9 billion.
An investment of $6.8 billion in Abu Dhabi to support 155 transportation projects aimed at improving connectivity and accessibility across the emirate, with a specific target to double public transport usage by 2028.
A national goal to transition to 50% electric vehicles by 2050 as part of the UAE's commitment to sustainable mobility.
In light of these national plans for rail and mobility development, the event program was designed to connect French companies with the country's most influential partners and decision-makers in mobility and transport.
In Abu Dhabi, following the inauguration speech by H.E. Nicolas Niemtchinow, French Ambassador to the UAE, the French delegation held meetings with Etihad Rail, Hafeet Rail, Abu Dhabi Mobility, and the Abu Dhabi Transport Company. Discussions focused on national railway infrastructure and ongoing mobility developments across the city.
The program also included a visit to the Etihad Rail Al-Faya depot, the main maintenance and control center for the network, as well as a stop at the Electric Vehicle Innovation Summit, where French companies explored emerging opportunities in the UAE's rapidly growing EV sector.
In Dubai, H.E. Jean-Christophe Paris opened the sessions with welcoming remarks to the delegation and guests and attended the subsequent panel discussions featuring the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), DEWA, Ras Al Khaimah Municipality, Al Naboodah Transport, and other industrial stakeholders. These sessions explored key topics including metro and tram projects, electric mobility, and the energy transition.
French Expertise Supporting UAE's Ambitions
French excellence was on full display—Among the participating companies, Dassault Systèmes, the gold sponsor of the event, stood out for its advanced capabilities in virtual design and simulation tailored to the mobility sector. Through its 3D design, digital mock-up, and PLM solutions, the company enables transport stakeholders to model and optimize complex mobility systems in virtual environments.
Also present, VINCI CONSTRUCTION GRANDS PROJETS, an expert in large-scale transport infrastructure and RATP DEV, a key player in public transport and railway network operations.
French innovators such as Apave, ATEIS, ATM Internationale, CBM Company, Codra, MPH Experts, OXYSIGN, MIPI, Manquillet Parizel, and Saarstahl Rail brought expertise in maintenance, railway infrastructure safety, complex system digital engineering, industrial marking and signage, and metallurgical components adapted to local railway infrastructure constraints, as well as committed urban mobility solutions.
This initiative, led by Business France and supported by Terracotta Manpower, highlights the deepening ties between France and the UAE in advancing sustainable, future-ready infrastructure. It also reaffirms France's strategic commitment to partnering with the UAE in shaping the next generation of smart mobility across the region.
Business France is the public consulting business serving the international development of the French economy. It is responsible for fostering export-led growth by French businesses, as well as promoting and facilitating foreign investment in France.
It promotes France's firms, business image and nationwide attractiveness as an investment location, and also runs the VIE international internship program.
Business France has more than 1,400 personnel, both in France and in 53 countries throughout the world.
In 2023, support from Business France made it possible to generate €3.3 billion in additional export revenues for French SMEs and mid-size companies, accounting for more than 27,111 jobs created or planned. Business France supported 58% of the 1,815 foreign investment decisions in 2023, accounting for 67% of the 59,254 jobs created or maintained nationwide.
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