Etihad Rail Tickets Are Finally Live: How I'm Booking My First UAE Train Journey (From Dh55)
- Jun 24
- 5 min read
For years I have watched the long silver Etihad Rail freight trains slide across the gravel plains on the drive out to Abu Dhabi, and every single time I have thought the same thing: when do the rest of us get to ride one? This week I finally got my answer — and there is now a booking confirmation sitting in my inbox to prove it.
The passenger ticket pages went live on 23 June, and by the time I had finished my morning coffee the very first departures had already sold out. The UAE has wanted a national passenger railway for the better part of a decade. It is here, the launch fares are half price, and I have spent the morning working out exactly how to claim a seat — so here is everything I have learned.
What just launched (and what hasn't yet)
Here is the headline, with the numbers that matter (all correct as of 24 June 2026). Etihad Rail has opened passenger ticket sales through its mobile app and official website, etihadrail.ae — you can also follow Etihad Rail on Instagram for live updates. The first route to open is Abu Dhabi to Fujairah, with services beginning 30 June 2026. There is a 50% introductory discount on every launch fare, which is why a Comfort Class seat that normally costs Dh109 is currently Dh55, and a Premium Class seat drops from Dh239 to Dh120.
Demand has been extraordinary. According to The National and Gulf News, the first journeys sold out within hours of booking opening — so if you are picturing a quiet inaugural run, think again. Fares and schedules below are indicative and can change; always confirm on the official Etihad Rail site or app before you pay.
The route, the stations and the timings
The opening service connects two purpose-built stations. In the capital, trains depart from Abu Dhabi station in Mohamed Bin Zayed City; at the other end you arrive at Fujairah station in Al Hilal City. The journey runs in under one hour and 45 minutes — a genuinely different proposition to the white-knuckle drive over the Hajar mountains.
For the introductory phase, both stations operate daily from 5am to 11pm. Trains leave Abu Dhabi for Fujairah at 8:19am, 1:53pm and 6:39pm, and return from Fujairah at 5:34am, 10:59am and 5:28pm. If this all sounds familiar, it is the same line I broke down in my earlier guide — Dubai to Fujairah in 69 minutes — except now you can actually buy the ticket.
How to book your seat, step by step
The whole thing took me under five minutes. Here is the flow:
Open the app or website — download the Etihad Rail app or go to etihadrail.ae and tap Book.
Pick your stations and date — choose Abu Dhabi or Fujairah, then any travel date from 30 June onward.
Choose your time and class — select a departure, then Comfort or Premium.
Choose your ticket tier — Saver, Value or Flex (more on these just below).
Add any extras — a Dh10 shuttle bus connects Abu Dhabi station to ADNOC HQ, ADNEC and Reem Mall.
Enter details and pay — name, email and mobile, then pay by card or phone wallet. Your digital ticket arrives instantly; station machines can issue a physical one too.
Comfort vs Premium — and the tier I would pick
There are two cabin classes and three flexibility tiers, and the combination decides your price. Comfort Class is the everyday option at Dh55 during the launch (Dh109 after, indicative — verify with Etihad Rail); Premium adds more space and a quieter cabin at Dh120 (Dh239 after). Both include a guaranteed reserved seat and onboard Wi-Fi.
On top of the class, you pick a tier. Saver is the cheapest but locks you in — no changes or refunds, and your seat is assigned automatically 24 hours before departure. Value lets you change for free up to 72 hours out and choose your own seat. Flex is the forgiving one: change up to 30 minutes after departure, a full refund if you cancel a day ahead, and the ticket is even transferable. You can read the full fare breakdown at Khaleej Times (indicative — confirm the current tier rules before booking).
What it is actually like on board
The fleet is 13 trains, each carrying around 400 passengers, so this is a proper inter-city service rather than a novelty shuttle. Every ticket comes with a reserved seat and Wi-Fi, and the stations have been built out with the things that make UAE travel comfortable: ticket machines, information desks, family zones, prayer rooms, food and beverage outlets, parking, and dedicated taxi and ride-hail pickup zones.
On luggage, each adult — and every child aged three and over — gets two free items: one personal item that fits under the seat, and one carry-on up to 55cm x 40cm x 23cm for the overhead racks. Label your bags with your name and number, and remember you are responsible for lifting and storing them yourself.
My one honest tip: for that very first month, pay the small premium for the Flex tier. A brand-new railway will have teething schedule changes, and being able to move your seat up to 30 minutes after departure — for free — is worth far more than the few dirhams you save on Saver.
Is it worth rushing to book? My take
Yes — with one caveat. The half-price launch fares are explicitly introductory, the inaugural departures have already gone, and a Fujairah weekend by train (beaches, the Hajar foothills, a long Friday lunch with a view) is exactly the kind of low-effort escape this city has been missing. The caveat is geography: if you live in Dubai, your nearest station does not open until 30 September 2026, so for now you will drive or taxi to Abu Dhabi to catch the train. For Abu Dhabi residents, there is no reason to wait.
Personally, I have booked a Comfort seat on an early Friday departure, and I will be reporting back. If the rest of the network arrives on schedule — Dubai and Al Dhaid in September, Al Dhafra in December, Sharjah by March 2027 — the way we move around this country is about to change for good.
Pair it with…
If you want the full picture of how this line fits into daily life, read my earlier deep-dive — Dubai to Fujairah in 69 Minutes: Etihad Rail Is About to Change How You Travel the UAE.
— Angel Tyagi, Creator of Angel In Dubai
Prices, timings, fares and availability may change — always check directly with Etihad Rail before booking or travelling. This post is not sponsored; it reflects my own honest opinion.
Photos: srihari kapu and Sam via Unsplash; Abu Dhabi skyline, Fujairah mountains and the UAE rail network map (Reinhard Dietrich, CC BY-SA 4.0) via Wikimedia Commons.
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