February 23, 2026
Methodology About Newsletter
WE THE UAE 2031
The Vanderbilt Terminal for the UAE's National Transformation
INDEPENDENT GLOBAL INTELLIGENCE FOR THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
UAE GDP: AED 2.03T ▲ 5.7% | Non-Oil GDP Share: 84.3% ▼ -5.2pp | FDI Inflows: $45.6B ▲ 48.7% | GDP Growth: 4.0% ▲ -0.3pp vs 2023 | Inflation: 1.7% ▼ +0.0pp vs 2023 | Female Participation: 55.1% ▲ +0.6pp vs 2023 | Population: 11.0M ▲ 4.8% | Emiratisation Rate: 12.5% ▲ 2.1pp | Global Competitiveness: #7 ▲ 3 places | Clean Energy Capacity: 7.2 GW ▲ 18.4% | ADX Index: 9,842 ▲ 4.7% | DFM Index: 4,621 ▲ 6.2% | UAE GDP: AED 2.03T ▲ 5.7% | Non-Oil GDP Share: 84.3% ▼ -5.2pp | FDI Inflows: $45.6B ▲ 48.7% | GDP Growth: 4.0% ▲ -0.3pp vs 2023 | Inflation: 1.7% ▼ +0.0pp vs 2023 | Female Participation: 55.1% ▲ +0.6pp vs 2023 | Population: 11.0M ▲ 4.8% | Emiratisation Rate: 12.5% ▲ 2.1pp | Global Competitiveness: #7 ▲ 3 places | Clean Energy Capacity: 7.2 GW ▲ 18.4% | ADX Index: 9,842 ▲ 4.7% | DFM Index: 4,621 ▲ 6.2% |

Definition

Etihad Rail is the developer and operator of the UAE’s national railway network, a federal project creating the first freight and passenger rail system to connect all seven emirates. The railway spans approximately 900 kilometers from the Saudi Arabian border at Ghuweifat in the west to the Omani border at Fujairah in the east, passing through Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, and Ras Al Khaimah. The project represents the largest infrastructure investment in the UAE’s history outside of the oil sector.

UAE Context

Etihad Rail is being constructed in three stages. Stage One, a 264-kilometer line transporting granulated sulphur from ADNOC’s Shah and Habshan gas fields to the export port at Ruwais, has been operational since 2016. Stage Two extends the network across the UAE, connecting key industrial, commercial, and population centres. Stage Three will complete the full national network. The railway is designed to carry both freight, reducing the number of heavy trucks on UAE highways, and eventually high-speed passenger services that will dramatically reduce intercity travel times. An Abu Dhabi to Dubai journey by rail could take under 50 minutes compared to over 90 minutes by road.

Key Data

  • Total length: Approximately 900 kilometers
  • Connection points: All seven emirates, linking to Saudi Arabia and Oman at border crossings
  • Stage One: Operational since 2016, 264 km freight line
  • Freight capacity: Designed to remove millions of truck journeys from roads annually
  • Speed: Up to 200 km/h for passenger services
  • Key hubs: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and major industrial zones
  • GCC integration: Part of the broader planned Gulf Railway network

Significance for Vision 2031

Etihad Rail is a transformative infrastructure project within the Vision 2031 framework. It reshapes the UAE’s logistics landscape by providing an efficient, lower-carbon alternative to road freight, supporting industrial growth under Operation 300bn by connecting manufacturing zones to ports. For passengers, it will enhance national cohesion by linking the emirates more tightly and enabling commuting between cities. The railway also positions the UAE as the central node of a future GCC-wide rail network, reinforcing its role as the region’s logistics and trade hub.

  • DP World - Port operator whose facilities connect to the rail network
  • Operation 300bn - Industrial strategy dependent on improved logistics
  • ADNOC - Initial customer for Stage One freight operations
  • Vision 2031 - The national strategy driving rail investment