Etihad Rail's Dubai–Abu Dhabi train: 64-minute ride, fares from Dh39
Etihad Rail's first passenger service between Dubai and Abu Dhabi is now running, and the old hour-long crawl along Sheikh Zayed Road has a serious rival. Al Yalayis station opened beside Jumeirah Golf Estates on Wednesday, September 30, putting Dubai on the UAE's national rail network and cutting the trip to one hour and four minutes at an average 200 km/h. It's the second stage of a phased rollout — the Abu Dhabi–Fujairah route launched in June, and all 10 announced stations should be running by the end of March 2027.
Condé Nast Traveller Middle East's associate editor Sophia Dyer boarded the day after launch. Inside, the station is more lounge than transport hub: free Arabic coffee for everyone, armchair seating, and an upcoming pedestrian bridge linking directly to the Dubai Metro Red Line. Premium-class travellers get a dedicated lounge with complimentary food and drinks, while Comfort riders can kill time at Starbucks, WHSmith and a soon-to-open McDonald's. Nol card integration means you can bolt a bus, tram and metro day pass onto your train ticket with a QR code.
What it costs
Tickets are cheaper online. A standard "Comfort" seat starts at Dh39 ($10) when booked online, against Dh60 ($16) at the station. Premium runs Dh129 ($35), and station buyers get both a digital and a printed copy — handy if you want inaugural memorabilia.
On board, Comfort class comes with charging ports, foldable tables, shutters and free Wi-Fi, while Premium seats recline. Crew hand out Arabic coffee and chocolates, then a snack box with two shawarma sandwiches, a cake and water, all included in the fare. Ask for the karak, a spiced tea made by Emirati chef Maitha Warshaw — it's intensely creamy and sweet, and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan praised it on the inaugural voyage.
The scenery runs through industrial zones, farmland and desert, and a faster high-speed service is coming that will cut the journey to 35 minutes. In Abu Dhabi, the line ends at Mohamed bin Zayed City, near Dalma Mall and Mussaffah, with a Dh10 ($3) shuttle bus onto the Corniche, ADNEC Centre and Reem Island.