Plans for the first railway between the UAE and Oman are well underway as a result of a $3bn investment deal signed recently which will reduce the UAE Oman travel time between between Sohar and Al Ain to 47 minutes. Oman and Etihad Rail Company, the developer of the UAE-Oman Rail Network, signed an agreement with Mubadala Investment Company to support the development of the 303km railway network that will connect the two countries.
The railway project, widely known as the Etihad Rail project, will serve both passenger and freight trains, offering increased efficiency and reduced costs compared to other modes of transport. The project was announced back in September 2022 during the state visit of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, to Oman.
The partnership aims to explore investment opportunities in the railway sector, strengthen cooperation, accelerate the planning and execution process, and develop economic and financial feasibility studies. It also includes joint investments in the railway network’s development and cooperation to enhance the project’s added value.
The project will provide trade and investment opportunities for the private sector, create new and diverse job opportunities, train national human resources, enrich tourism activities, improve the competitiveness of the two countries in global trade, and establish their position as logistics hubs that serve as gateways to regional markets.
UAE Oman travel time
The railway network will connect Sohar in Oman to Abu Dhabi in the UAE, via Sohar Port to the UAE National Rail Network. Passenger trains will run up to 200 km/h, reducing the time of the journey between Sohar and Abu Dhabi to 100 minutes, and between Sohar and Al Ain to 47 minutes. Meanwhile, freight trains will reach speeds of up to 120 km/h.
The signing ceremony was attended by Suhail bin Mohammed Faraj Faris Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Chairman of Oman and Etihad Rail Company, and the agreement was signed by Ahmed Al Musawa Al Hashemi, CEO of Oman and Etihad Rail Company, and Dr. Bakheet Saeed Al Katheeri, Executive Director of the UAE Industries Unit at Mubadala’s UAE Investments platform.
Image Credit: Etihad Rail
