4 days ago
- Business
- Time Out Abu Dhabi
This is the new train that will take you from Abu Dhabi to Oman in under 2 hours
Work has begun on the much-anticipated multi-billion-dollar UAE-Oman railway project.
Plans for a railway between the neighbouring GCC nations have been in the offing since 2022 and work is finally underway.
The railway project will initially operate between the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi and the Omani port city of Sohar. The project will cover a distance of 303km and travel at speeds of up to 200km/h.
And it will be equipped to handle the diverse terrains between the two countries, as well as any unpredictable weather conditions and water flow from surrounding valleys. Innovative and sustainable engineering solutions will ensure safe journeys.
Work on the huge project got underway in May 2024, following a shareholder agreement between Hafeet Rail, a company made up of Etihad Rail and Oman Rail, and construction companies.
Works are progressing along the railway alignment between the two nations. The update pointed out that progress is underway in several areas in North Al Batinah and Al Buraimi governates in Oman and in the emirate of Abu Dhabi.
To date, more than one million man-hours have been clocked in developing the railway.
The name of Hafeet Rail for the project was decided following the joint UAE-Oman Business Forum held in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday April 23.
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Partnership agreements have been signed between stakeholders, major construction contracts have been awarded and companies between both borders will operate as joint teams for the project.
What the UAE-Oman Hafeet Rail means for you
Initially, it will operate between the Al Wathba area near Abu Dhabi and the Omani port city of Sohar.
With a speed reaching 200 kilometres per hour, journeys between Abu Dhabi and Sohar will take 100 minutes.
Passenger trains will be able to accommodate up to 400 people.
The project board aims to 'establish a record-breaking timeline for implementation', so expect it to be established sooner than you think.
The freight train will have a capacity equivalent to 300 trucks which will reduce carbon emissions generated by trucks by 80 per cent.
Etihad Rail passenger train (Credit: Etihad Rail)
It will pass through diverse geographical areas, including the desert and mountainous regions and along Jebel Hafeet – which is where the new Hafeet Rail brand derives its name.
The railway aims to be a quick and efficient way of connecting the two countries, which is hoped to reduce car traffic and, consequently, the carbon footprint.
This railway project would see the two Gulf countries connect and align with long-term plans for the GCC vision of a Gulf Railway. The Gulf Railway was planned to be opened by 2025, but construction has yet to begin in earnest.
And, for businesses, it's predicted that it will have a major impact on trade between the two countries as one freight train trip is capable of transporting 15,000 tonnes of general cargo.
Hafeet Rail will connect five major ports and a number of free zones in both countries and will see transportation time cut in half compared to traditional on-ground methods.
Hafeet Rail represents a groundbreaking achievement as the first modern cross-border train in the Middle East and the Arab world, connecting the Sultanate of Oman to the United Arab Emirates.
— Hafeet Rail (@hafeetrail) June 2, 2024
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