Today's Edition
SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)
With Etihad Rail expanding connectivity with an integrated, safe, and efficient network, it is serving as an engine of growth, particularly for the nation's real estate sector.
Speaking to Aletihad, real estate experts said that with the rail network extending to news areas, real estate market is entering a new phase, one where infrastructure is not only enables movement, but also redefines value, behaviour, and long-term opportunity across the UAE.
The Etihad Rail passenger network, designed to run at speeds of up to 200 km/h, will connect 11 cities and regions across the UAE through key stations, creating the country's first fully integrated passenger railway system. A major highlight is that travel between Abu Dhabi and Dubai is expected to take just 50 to 70 minutes, offering commuters a faster and more reliable alternative to road travel.
Nitin Chauhan, Partner at Pride & Property, said that the UAE's growth has always been tied to infrastructure. "Jumeirah Golf Estates, Palm Jebel Ali, Dubai Islands, each of those markets matured as connectivity around them deepened," he said, adding that "rail extends that logic across the entire country".
"Location has always meant access. Sheikh Zayed Road was prime because it connected everything. The Metro repriced whole neighbourhoods," he said.
According to Chauhan, buyers who have built serious wealth tend to be those who identify infrastructure trends early, noting that today's advantage lies in mapping the next purchase around station locations and commute times to workplace.
Beyond investment, Chauhan stressed the importance integrating rail into daily life.
"Rail becomes part of daily life when people plan with it rather than around it," he said, highlighting the importance of walkable neighborhoods where residents can live, work, and send their children without relying on cars.
For investors, he added, station proximity deserves the same weight as a masterplan boundary, making it both a lifestyle and a wealth decision.
For Rohit Bachani, Co-Founder, Merlin Real Estate, said Etihad Rail will not just create commuter towns, it will quietly give birth to new mixed-use corridors.
These will emerge particularly in areas once seen as "too far, too quiet, or too niche," evolving into "self-sustaining clusters" over time.
He described this growth as phased: Affordability first, livability next, and finally desirability. Bachani added that "the biggest winners will be those who recognise these corridors early, not when they are already obvious."
At the same time, he highlighted a deeper shift in how value is measured.
"Time-to-access is becoming the new currency," he said, explaining that homes offering reliable connectivity may hold more real value than those defined by traditional centrality.
"Geography is fixed, but connectivity is fluid and smart money follows the fluid shift early."
