Look: Inside Abu Dhabi's first passenger train station ahead of Etihad Rail launch
A stretch of desert on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi is being transformed into the starting point of the UAE’s first passenger railway, with the Mohamed bin Zayed City Passenger Train Station set to welcome travellers bound for Fujairah from June 30 and Dubai in September.
The station, inaugurated by Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, on June 23, is set to become a major transport hub. A walkthrough of the first Etihad Rail station in Abu Dhabi reveals a design focused on technology, accessibility and passenger comfort.
The entrance and concourse
Passengers enter through a concourse built around clear sightlines to the platforms. Automated barriers are near the entrance, alongside an information desk and a full route map showing the network’s stations and landmarks like the airports, Burj Khalifa, and Sheikh Zayed Mosque. Large digital boards display train times, destinations and platform numbers.
Automated barriers sit close to the entrance, alongside an information desk
The station has been designed to feel open and intuitive, with spacious concourses, clear signage and comfortable waiting areas, and staff are on hand to assist passengers new to rail travel. Ticket machines sit to one side, alongside marked pathways for people of determination. Food and beverage outlets and retail units are planned, so the station functions as a destination in its own right rather than just a pass-through point.
Food and beverage outlets and retail units are planned inside Etihad Rail stations
The platform and onboard
Beyond the barriers, the platform opens onto the line carrying passengers to Dubai in around an hour, and to Fujairah in about 90 minutes. Onboard classes range from Comfort to Premium, the latter adding wider seats and complimentary refreshments. Every ticket comes with guaranteed seating, Wi-Fi, and power, in a calm cabin designed to give passengers their time back, whether for work, rest, or watching the country pass by.
Each class offers three fare tiers: Saver for fixed plans, Value with free seat changes, and Flex, which adds refunds. Tickets can be booked up to four weeks in advance through the app, website, or at the station.
Ticket vending machines
Mohamed bin Zayed City sation
Mohamed bin Zayed City was chosen as the flagship station for its position within the Capital’s daily movement patterns, its proximity to Mussafah, Shakhbout City, Bani Yas, and Dalma Mall, and its location about 30 minutes from Zayed International Airport. Station locations across the network are chosen for accessibility, ease of use and proximity to surrounding communities, and around four million man-hours have gone into this station’s construction.
