Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
Etihad Rail has sold more than 70,000 tickets since introducing passenger services, with customers booking journeys an average of 12 days in advance as rail becomes part of travel planning across the UAE.
Early figures indicate that families, commuters, business travellers and visitors are increasingly using the national railway network for planned journeys rather than one-off trips.
Etihad Rail said that booking behaviour has emerged as one of the clearest signs of sustained demand during the introductory operational phase.
Passengers are currently booking their journeys an average of 12 days in advance, demonstrating not only strong demand but also a growing tendency to proactively plan travel around rail services.
Rather than simply experiencing the service for the first time, customers are increasingly organising business trips, family travel and leisure activities around the railway, signalling that rail is becoming part of how people move across the UAE.
Azza Al Suwaidi, Chief Operating Officer of Etihad Rail, said: "People aren't simply trying the train out of curiosity. They're planning around it. When customers are booking nearly two weeks ahead, it tells us passenger rail is already becoming part of how people organise their journeys. That is an important sign that rail is beginning to establish itself as a natural travel choice across the UAE."
Adhraa Almansoori, Executive Director of Commercial at Etihad Rail Mobility, added: "One of the most striking things we've seen is the diverse range of passengers choosing the train for their journeys across the UAE.
"This diversity highlights the role the passenger train is playing as a comfortable and reliable transport option that meets a wide range of travel needs, whether for family journeys, business travel, educational trips, leisure experiences, or exploring new destinations across the UAE."
The pre-operational phase witnessed strong interest from various passenger segments, including families, business travellers, schools, leisure travellers, and people of determination.
As the introductory operational phase continues, Etihad Rail will progressively scale services in line with demand while maintaining its focus on safety, reliability and customer experience.
The organisation will continue to monitor passenger trends, introduce additional capacity where required and build on the early adoption seen across families, commuters, schools, leisure travellers and accessibility users.
The passenger network is also set to expand over the coming months. Dubai and Al Dhaid stations are scheduled to open on September 30, followed by Liwa and Madinat Zayed on November 30.
The remaining Al Dhafra stations are due to open on December 30, while Sharjah station is scheduled to begin operations on March 30.
The new stations will extend the reach of the passenger network and provide more travel options between communities, business centres and visitor destinations across the UAE.
