Today's Edition
Allan Jacob (Dubai)
Etihad Rail is bringing Abu Dhabi and Dubai closer while building new communities by making commutes shorter.
It will also make travel seamless and smoother for passengers when Dubai’s current airport (DXB) moves to Dubai World Centre - Al Maktoum International (DWC) by 2032, according to a senior aviation official.
“Rail has an important role to play in creating a truly connected transport network, linking the airport more closely with the city, the wider UAE and the region,” said Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths in a post on LinkedIn.
He said a national railway changes more than the journey between cities. “It gives people new choices about where to live, work, visit, and spend time together.”
“Connecting land, air, and sea will be fundamental to the future of mobility,” Griffiths added.
The Dubai Airports boss is of the view that a journey is rarely just a flight or a train ride. “It begins before someone reaches the airport or station and continues long after they leave.
The better those connections work together, the easier it becomes for people and goods to move around the country and beyond.
DWC, once fully operational, will become the world’s largest aviation hub. A second runway is expected to be ready by next year.
The airport can handle 150 million passengers annually when it opens in six years.
The project will eventually have five runways and is being built at a cost of $35 billion.
Officials say 260 million passengers will pass through it annually when completed. The current Dubai International Airport (DXB) is forecast to reach full capacity in a couple of years.
Griffiths last week said work at DWC is progressing well and remains on schedule.
Flydubai, which is expected to operate more than 100 aircraft, will move some operations to DWC as early as next year.
