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UAE’s national railway operator Etihad Rail said on Tuesday that it operated three passenger train services in coordination with the Emergencies, Crises and Disasters Management Centre Abu Dhabi (ADCMC) to facilitate the return of UAE citizens and residents from Saudi Arabia.
The three trains operated between Ghuweifat Station in Al Dhafrah Region, near the Saudi border, and Al Faya Station in Abu Dhabi City, the company said in a social media post on its X official account.
The operation, which precedes the official launch of the passenger rail services scheduled for this year, transported more than 350 passengers following the temporary suspension of flight services and was carried out in cooperation with the Saudi Arabian authorities, ADCMC said in a separate statement,
“The operation of the passenger service prior to its official launch demonstrates a high degree of institutional flexibility, based on the effective redeployment of available capabilities to address societal priorities, without compromising long-term operational plans or the UAE’s logistical security,” said ADCMC Director General Matar Saeed Al Nuaimi.
The passenger services were operated without disruptions to the scheduled freight services, the statement said.
Mohammed Al Shehhi, Chief Projects Officer at Etihad Rail, added that operations will continue as required, in close coordination with the competent authorities, until air traffic resumes and flights return to their regular schedules.
On Monday, Zawya Projects reported that Etihad Rail and ADCMC conducted a passenger train trial run Al Ghuwaifat–Al Faya route as part of emergency response and continuity framework.
(Writing by P Deol; Editing by Anoop Menon)
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