Etihad Rail Mobility of the United Arab Emirates awarded contracts earlier this month for the development of the first phase of a high-speed rail line that will connect Abu Dhabi and Dubai with trains capable of reaching speeds of up to 350 km/h. The initial phase of the project, scheduled to deliver a dedicated high-speed line of 150 km by 2030, is estimated to cost up to $8 billion.
Two key station and civil works design and construction contracts were awarded in February: a multi-million dollar contract for the Abu Dhabi section went to Abu Dhabi’s National Projects Construction as the main contractor. Its consortium partners are Trojan Tunnelling, Turkey’s Kalyon and the China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC). US-based Jacobs will supply the design.
The contract for the Dubai section was for India’s Larsen & Toubro as the main contractor, with China Harbor Engineering Company, Wade Adams, with France’s Egis and Singapore’s Surbana Jurong as partners. The engineering consultants are the Spanish companies Sener and Ineco.
The first phase of the high-speed line will run 150 km from Al-Zahiyah in Abu Dhabi to Al-Jaddaf in Dubai, serving a total of five stations, three of which will be underground, including Abu Dhabi International Airport. The stations will be integrated with metro and bus transport.
According to the Middle East Economic Digest (MEED), work on the high-speed line has been divided into four sections: Al Zahiyah to Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, covering 23.5 km; Yas Island to Abu Dhabi/Dubai Administrative Border, 64.2 km; from the Emirates border to Al Jaddaf in Dubai, 52.1 km; and a branch at Abu Dhabi International Airport, covering 9.2 km.
Etihad Rail Mobility intends to expand its high-speed system to eventually create a network of 10 city center stations within Abu Dhabi, a link between Abu Dhabi and the desert city of Al Ain, and a connection to the emirate of Sharjah, according to media reports.
The company is now in the final negotiations for high-speed rolling stock with several industry giants, including: Seimens Mobility of Germany, Alstom of France, Hitachi of Japan, CRRC of China and Talgo of Spain. Bidders will have to supply high-speed electric trains with a design speed of 350 km/h and an operating speed of 320 km/h.
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Meanwhile, Etihad Rail is introducing a passenger service this year using the rail lines that make up its existing rail freight network across the country. Trials of the passenger service, which will operate at around 200 km/h, have begun and will extend to the Indian Ocean port emirate of Fujairah.
In addition, Ethihad has signed a partnership with Italian high-tech company IronLev with the aim of introducing magnetic levitation for its freight trains apart from the national rail network of the United Arab Emirates. Tests were conducted at the Al Faya Depot to assess whether the maglev technology could work under real freight loading conditions. The test involved transporting a fully loaded 7-ton container over a distance of 1.2 km using a levitating platform installed on the railway line.
Etihad operates a highly successful freight service linking the country’s major industrial areas and ports.
The passenger service will connect 11 cities and reduce travel times between major hubs that are mainly reached by road. The service is expected to carry around 36.5 million passengers per year by 2030, with a significant impact on regional connectivity and reducing road travel, which will contribute to reduced carbon emissions, sustainable transport and boosting economic diversity.
The country expects the introduction of passenger rail services to contribute AED 145 billion ($39 billion) to its GDP over the next 50 years.
Elsewhere in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Saudi Arabia and Qatar are planning a high-speed electricity connection between their two capitals, Riyadh and Doha, respectively. The GCC includes Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman.
The 785 km rail line will connect key stations and travel at speeds in excess of 300 km/h, cutting travel time between the two cities by two hours. The project, which has yet to go beyond initial planning, is expected to serve 10 million passengers a year and create more than 30,000 direct and indirect jobs.
Earlier this month, GCC Secretary-General Jassim Al-Budaiwi said a project to connect rail networks between GCC countries would begin in 2030. He said the project would expand mobility options in the region by complementing air and road travel, and in some cases maritime transport.
