Etihad Rail welcome progress of the National Rail Network

Etihad Rail have released a video (see below) which details their recent successes in building one of the largest infrastructure projects in the UAE, the National Rail Network. Since 2016, Etihad Rail have completed the first stage of the 1,200km National Rail Network on time and on budget. The second stage is currently underway, with over 75 per cent of the stage already completed. Construction work has been completed on the excavation of all the tunnels across the network and the main line between Abu Dhabi and Dubai as part of the second stage.

The sustainability improvements that this project offers the transport sector in the UAE is a key reason why Etihad Rail have welcomed the project’s progress. One single train journey removes around 300 trucks from the road, this reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 70-80 per cent compared to the amount emitted by trucks which are transporting the same tonnage.  The progress of the project also means that Etihad Rail are heading in the right direction towards their target of transporting 60 million tonnes of goods per year by 2030, whilst reducing the transport costs by 30 per cent to drive the growth of the sector.

The project began when Etihad Rail signed a financing agreement for passenger transport services with First Abu Dhabi Bank valued at AED 1.990 billion. With trains that reach speeds of 200km/hr, the National Rail Network expected that the National Rail Network will reach 36 million passengers annually by 2030 and be connected to 11 key regions and cities throughout the UAE.

The full video can be found below.