For decades, getting between Dubai and Abu Dhabi meant a car, a taxi or an intercity bus along Sheikh Zayed Road. As of September 30, there is a fourth option. Etihad Rail extended its national passenger network to Dubai, with trains running from the new Al Yalayis Station in Jumeirah Golf Estates to Mohamed Bin Zayed City in Abu Dhabi. Etihad Rail’s booking platform shows the direct trip taking about 64 minutes.
Fares are pitched to compete with the road. Comfort Class tickets start at AED39 and Premium Class at AED109, sold through Etihad Rail’s website and app or from vending machines at stations. Dubai also gained a direct rail link to Fujairah on the east coast on the same day, with a journey of about 70 minutes and fares from AED29. Launch-day schedules showed a handful of departures in each direction on the Abu Dhabi route, clustered around morning and evening commuting hours.
The Dubai station was designed to plug into the city’s existing transit. A pedestrian bridge connects Al Yalayis to Jumeirah Golf Estates Metro Station, and Dubai’s Government Media Office said integration with the Nol card system will allow passengers to use a single QR code across Etihad Rail, the Metro, tram and buses. That matters for visitors who do not want to rent a car just to make a day trip to the capital.
The network is still filling in. Etihad Rail began carrying passengers between Abu Dhabi and Fujairah on June 30, and the September expansion added Dubai and Al Dhaid. Madinat Zayed and Liwa are scheduled to join on November 30, the remaining Al Dhafra stations on December 30, and Sharjah in March 2027. For travelers, the UAE has quietly become a country you can cross by train.
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