Today's Edition
MAYS IBRAHIM (ABU DHABI)
The UAE is expanding a national rail network that operates as much on data as on steel, leveraging digital systems to predict failures and streamline operations.
Industry experts say the country is uniquely positioned to pioneer the next era of smart, low-carbon transport, opening the gulf to faster cross-border trade.
The UAE’s “greenfield advantage” enables it to embed digital innovation at the network’s core, according to Debu Chakraborty, Senior Regional Director MEA and GM UAE at Bentley Systems.
“What’s so exciting about the UAE is that it’s essentially starting with a clean slate. Unlike other regions that must work around decades-old infrastructure, the UAE has a unique chance to build a truly digital railway from day one,” he told Aletihad.
“This ‘greenfield’ approach, backed by strong leadership and serious investment, fast-tracks projects, meaning we can embed the latest technologies right into the foundation of the network.”
A Railway that Thinks Ahead
Bentley Systems, a global infrastructure software provider, is helping deliver a comprehensive digital foundation for the UAE’s expanding network – one that supports operations through the railway’s full life cycle.
Central to this transformation is the creation of a “digital twin” - a detailed, continuously updated virtual model of the railway that integrates real-world data from trains, tracks and the environment.
Chakraborty said this forms the basis for a fully connected smart mobility ecosystem where passengers move seamlessly between rail, metro and road networks.
“It connects all the dots, from the first survey of the land to live data from the trains themselves, so that everyone is always working from the same, up-to-the-minute information,” he explained.
“It’s about making sure your train connects smoothly to your bus, and your whole journey is as efficient as possible.”
The benefits are not limited to passenger convenience. In a desert climate that strains rail infrastructure, digital intelligence becomes a critical line of defence.
“It’s all about getting ahead of problems instead of just reacting to them,” Andrew Smith, Solutions Manager, Rail and Transit at Bentley Systems, told Aletihad.
He explained that the digital twin can use live data to detect early signs of wear on track components before failures occur or anticipate stress-points long before construction.
“You can run simulations to see what happens during an extreme heatwave or a massive sandstorm,” Smith added. “You can pinpoint exactly where the rails might buckle or where a critical switch might get clogged with sand, and then you can engineer a solution before it’s even built.”
Linking Cities, Powering Economies
For global consultancy Oliver Wyman, the UAE’s investment in rail aligns with broader mobility shifts underway across the Gulf – from electrification to autonomous transport.
“Over the next decade, the Gulf’s mobility landscape will undergo a major shift driven by sustainability, innovation, connectivity and infrastructure investment,” Alessandro Tricamo, Partner in Oliver Wyman’s Transportation practice, told Aletihad.
He expects rail to become a central pillar of that transformation, linking cities, ports and industrial zones, and unlocking cross-border trade efficiency through upcoming GCC rail projects such as the proposed UAE–Oman Hafeet link.
Tricamo pointed out that the UAE in particular is positioned to strengthen its role as a global logistics hub.
“By connecting key ports, free zones, industrial areas, and borders through a seamless rail system, the country can streamline the movement of goods across its territory and beyond,” he said.
For example, Etihad Rail links major economic centres such as Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and Fujairah to critical ports like Khalifa Port and Jebel Ali. Tricamo noted that this network, combined with recent partnerships and potential bonded corridors, will enable faster inland transport and more efficient supply chains.
A Low-carbon Track
Shifting both passenger and freight movement from road to rail could also help advance Gulf countries’ emissions-reduction targets.
“Rail is one of the most energy efficient, low emission modes of transport, with the potential to reduce emissions by four to five times per ton of goods transported compared with road alternatives, offering a cleaner option than trucking, road, or air transport,” Tricamo explained.
“One freight train can remove hundreds of trucks from the roads each day, cutting greenhouse gas emissions and lowering road maintenance costs. For passenger mobility, rail enables efficient mass transit with far lower per capita emissions than private vehicles,” he added.
Etihad Rail’s freight network, launched in 2023, spans 900km from the Saudi border at Ghuweifat to the eastern port city of Fujairah.
It connects key industrial and maritime nodes including Khalifa Port in Abu Dhabi, Jebel Ali in Dubai, and the Port of Fujairah, enabling a faster and more sustainable movement of goods across the country.
The Etihad Rail passenger service will launch in 2026, linking 11 cities and regions across the UAE, including major hubs like Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, and Fujairah.
