Less than four weeks from now, the UAE’s national passenger railway will push deep into the desert. Etihad Rail has confirmed that its Madinat Zayed and Liwa stations will welcome passengers on November 30, bringing trains to the Al Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi for the first time.
Why the date moved forward
The two stations were originally due to open on December 30. The earlier date was set after Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra, met an Etihad Rail delegation led by chief executive Shadi Malak in July. He asked that the launch be brought forward to line up with the start of the region’s events and festivals season, according to Etihad Rail’s statement.
That season is a major draw. The Liwa Dates Festival and the Dhafra Festival, whose finale in December crowns the winning camels, bring large crowds to the area every year. A train link could make those events easier to reach for visitors from the cities.
A fast-growing network
The passenger service began on June 30, 2026, with a route between Abu Dhabi and Fujairah. Trips between the two take around 105 minutes, and the published Abu Dhabi–Dubai journey time is 57 minutes. The railway is designed to cover roughly 900 kilometres across the country and is projected to serve around 10 million passengers a year.
Demand has been strong. In August, Etihad Rail said it had sold more than 70,000 tickets through advance bookings and would add capacity where trends required it. Passengers have praised the comfort of the trains, and weekend tickets have been in high demand.
Gulf News listed four stations as operating in October 2026. The rollout schedule for the rest of the network is:
| Date | Stations |
|---|---|
| November 30, 2026 | Madinat Zayed, Liwa (Al Dhafra) |
| December 30, 2026 | Al Mirfa, Al Dhannah, Al Sila (Al Dhafra) |
| March 30, 2027 | University City, Sharjah |
The network is run in partnership with Keolis, and the Dubai station is integrated with the Nol system, so passengers can use a single QR code for rail and for the Metro, Tram and buses.
What Madinat Zayed and Liwa offer
Madinat Zayed is one of the larger towns in Al Dhafra, and the new station will connect it with the rest of the rail network. Liwa sits within the Liwa Oasis, a destination known for desert experiences, outdoor activities and cultural attractions. Rail access gives tourists and residents an alternative to long drives on the road.
For residents of the region, the benefits go beyond tourism. A station can shorten trips to work, school and healthcare, and open the area to businesses that depend on regular access to Abu Dhabi and other emirates.
Planning a visit
Passengers heading to Al Dhafra for the festival season should consider:
- Booking early. Weekend and holiday tickets have been popular since the launch.
- Checking onward transport. Station facilities and local connections will matter for reaching festival sites.
- Watching official channels. Etihad Rail publishes timetables and fares as new stations come into service, and ticket prices vary by departure time and booking conditions.
What is still to be confirmed
Some practical details remain to be announced, including the full timetable for the new stations and how many daily services will stop at them. Etihad Rail has also not said how it will connect each station with local bus or taxi services. Residents and visitors will likely get these answers as the opening date nears.
For now, the date is firm, and the direction is clear. The UAE’s rail network is moving from a pioneering route on the east coast to a national system that reaches the western desert.
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