Abu Dhabi is about to get a major transport upgrade: here’s all the details

Abu Dhabi is about to get a major transport upgrade: here’s all the details

Driving? It’s about to be a thing of the past

by Alyson LoweMay 13, 2026

The capital is about to get a whole lot more connected.

Forget the old idea of Abu Dhabi as a place you mainly drive through on the way somewhere else. The city is gearing up for a serious transport makeover, with fresh rail, metro and road plans set to power what officials are calling the UAE’s biggest infrastructure push in years.

Speaking at the Abu Dhabi Infrastructure Summit 2026, Suhail Al Mazrouei said Abu Dhabi will account for more than half of the UAE’s future spending on infrastructure and transport projects, with roads, railways, metro systems and high-speed trains all in the mix.

In other words: this isn’t just about shaving a few minutes off the commute. It’s a total re-think of how Abu Dhabi moves and connects.

So, what’s actually happening?

The headline numbers are big. The UAE has announced a Dhs170 billion transport and road package to be delivered by 2030, and it includes wider highways, upgraded public transport, a high-speed rail line between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and an Abu Dhabi tram project linking Zayed International Airport with Yas Island, Al Raha Beach and Khalifa City.

The rail plan is being rolled out in phases, starting with Abu Dhabi-Dubai, then expanding into an inner-city network, Abu Dhabi-Al Ain, and eventually Dubai-Sharjah.

Read more: Your complete guide to Etihad Rail

That means the capital is set to get both the long-haul kind of connectivity and the city-level links that actually make day-to-day life easier. For Abu Dhabi residents, that could mean less time stuck in traffic and more realistic options for commuting, airport runs and cross-emirate travel.

The emirate is positioning itself not just as a place with roads and rails, but as the engine room of the UAE’s next phase of growth.

Alyson Lowe

When Alyson first landed in Abu Dhabi, it was love at first sight. After more than a decade at London’s glossiest magazines, Alyson is now the Editor of Time Out Abu Dhabi. As well as eating her way... More by Alyson Lowe

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