For professionals who live in one emirate and work in the other, the drive between Abu Dhabi and Dubai can swallow a large part of the working day. In peak-hour traffic it can stretch to two hours each way. From 30 September, there is an alternative.
Etihad Rail’s new passenger service will connect Dubai Al Yalayis Station with Mohamed Bin Zayed City in Abu Dhabi. The journey takes about 57 minutes, roughly half the time the same trip can take by road when rush-hour congestion is included. Tickets are already on sale, with single fares starting at Dh39.
The commuter question
The people with the most at stake are those who make the trip most often: daily and weekly commuters, and professionals who cross emirates for projects and meetings. Gulf News spoke to several of them about whether they would leave the car at home.
Akshata Kamath, a 31-year-old media professional, lives in Abu Dhabi and travels to Media City in Dubai almost every day. She would not necessarily ride every day but expects to use the train a few times a month. Her reasoning is simple: on a train, the journey feels shorter, and free Wi-Fi lets her clear emails before reaching the office. She lives about ten minutes from the Abu Dhabi station and notes that the Dubai station connects with the Metro. She also considers the Dh39 fare cheaper than a taxi and quicker than the bus.
Shreya Parthasarathy, a consultant who commutes to Downtown Dubai once or twice a week, said the train could work a few times a week. People without a car face slower public transport or costly taxis. Even drivers find repeated long trips tiring. She acknowledged the extra time and cost of reaching the stations, but felt it was still worth trying.
Beating traffic, petrol and Salik
Ahmed ElMowalad, a 35-year-old Egyptian expatriate who has lived in the UAE for nine years, used to travel to Abu Dhabi every few weeks for work. He said the drive tires people more than the hours suggest, especially when the return trip happens on the same day. He would not commute daily by train, but he would choose it to avoid peak-hour traffic. Once Salik tolls and petrol are counted, he argues, the train becomes a convenient alternative.
Rasha Abushamaa drove between Dubai and Abu Dhabi almost daily for three years, from 2022 to 2025. She now works mainly in Abu Dhabi and would use the train for events and projects. Her children’s school is near the Mohamed Bin Zayed City station, so parking there and boarding could suit her family’s routine. She is also planning a family train trip to Fujairah for a weekend staycation.
The wait-and-see crowd
Not everyone is ready to switch. Benny Huang, a 21-year-old intern at a Dubai recruitment agency, recently passed his driving test and currently prefers the car. His nearest Abu Dhabi station is about 20 minutes from home. He may drive to the station, leave the car there and try the train, but he wants to experience it before deciding how often to use it.
His caution is understandable. Passenger rail between the emirates is a new habit, and the last mile matters as much as the 57 minutes on board. Passengers are also expected to arrive at the departure station with enough time to complete boarding, and missing a train can mean losing the fare.
What it could mean for jobs
The impact may reach beyond individual journeys. James Randall, Middle East Sales Director at HireRight, says easier travel could make roles that once seemed impractical feel genuinely viable, particularly where employers offer hybrid working or do not require daily office attendance.
HireRight data shows that 26 per cent of employers named finding candidates within a commutable distance as a major talent challenge in 2025. A reliable rail link could widen the pool for employers and give workers more choice without requiring them to move.
A network taking shape
The Dubai launch follows the UAE’s first passenger train journey, which departed Mohamed Bin Zayed City station on 30 June. Etihad Rail Freight recently began a direct cargo service between Fujairah and Abu Dhabi, and Etihad Airways and Etihad Rail have been exploring integrated air-rail travel across the country.
What to watch
Three factors are likely to decide how many drivers make the switch:
- Access to stations. Parking, Metro links and last-mile transport will matter as much as the fare.
- Reliability. Commuters will judge the service by how consistently it keeps to its 57-minute promise.
- Costs on the road. With petrol prices under pressure, the case for the train may strengthen.
If it works as advertised, the two-hour drive could become a choice, not a necessity.
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