Fujairah Municipality and Etihad Rail have advanced planning for the second phase of railway development in Fujairah. Officials reviewed future route requirements, infrastructure integration and areas connected to the project.
Officials met on September 24 to assess planned routes across the emirate. Discussions covered integration with Fujairah’s urban development and infrastructure plans.
Officials also reviewed passenger and freight movement across residential, economic and logistics areas. Eng. Mohammed Saif Al Afkham, Director General of Fujairah Municipality, said railway development would support investment, commerce, tourism and logistics. Both sides agreed to maintain coordination through upcoming implementation stages.
Rail planning aligns with Fujairah development
Route planning will centre on how railway infrastructure fits Fujairah’s wider urban development programme. Municipality officials are aligning planned rail connections with infrastructure priorities across residential and commercial areas. Etihad Rail is also reviewing future requirements for routes and project-related areas across the emirate.
Fujairah Municipality expects stronger rail connectivity to support trade and service activity across the emirate. Al Afkham identified economic, commercial, tourism and logistics sectors as direct beneficiaries. Rail connections between population centres and logistics districts will add another transport layer as development expands across Fujairah.
Etihad Rail identified Al Hilal as the location of its Fujairah passenger station in January 2026. Fujairah station became the first completed passenger station on the network in May 2026.
Passenger rail gives Fujairah operating link
Passenger operations between Mohamed bin Zayed City in Abu Dhabi and Fujairah began on June 30 2026. Etihad Rail set the journey time between the two cities at one hour and 45 minutes.
Passenger demand accelerated during the introductory operating phase. Etihad Rail reported more than 70,000 tickets sold by August 3. Customers booked journeys an average of 12 days before travel. Etihad Rail said capacity would increase in line with passenger demand.
Dubai joined passenger services linking Abu Dhabi and Fujairah on September 30 2026. Dubai Station connects directly with Jumeirah Golf Estates Metro Station through a dedicated pedestrian bridge. Nol integration also allows passengers to use one QR code across Etihad Rail, Metro, Tram and bus services.
Etihad Rail operates 13 passenger trains, with capacity for up to 400 passengers per train. January 2026 plans identified 11 cities and regions for passenger rail coverage. Locations include Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Fujairah, Al Sila, Al Dhannah and Al Mirfa. Madinat Zayed, Mezaira’a, Al Faya and Al Dhaid complete the planned network.
National rail volumes add freight context
Etihad Rail’s freight operations provide an operating base for further integration with Fujairah’s commercial and logistics districts. National freight volumes expanded during 2025 across bulk materials and container traffic.
Etihad Rail transported more than 6.5 million tonnes of sulphur during 2025. Aggregate volumes exceeded 10 million tonnes, while container traffic reached 148,000 units. Rail operations also removed more than 500,000 truck journeys from roads in Al Dhafra. Those volumes quantify the network capacity already supporting industrial and supply chain traffic across the UAE.
Fujairah’s planning review specifically covers both passenger and freight movement. Municipality officials are assessing how future routes connect residential areas with economic and logistics hubs.
Next phase keeps coordination central
Fujairah Municipality and Etihad Rail limited the September 24 update to route planning, infrastructure integration and implementation coordination. Officials did not publish a route map, capital value or construction timetable for Fujairah’s second phase.
Both organisations confirmed continued coordination for upcoming phases. Municipal planning will link rail development with Fujairah’s urban expansion and transport requirements.
Etihad Rail’s operating passenger network already connects Fujairah with Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Future route planning therefore builds on active national rail infrastructure serving the eastern emirate.
Fujairah Municipality tied further railway development directly to investment attraction, trade, tourism and freight movement. Future route decisions will determine how additional connections serve residential areas, economic districts and logistics hubs across the emirate.
