Dubai: Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, stated that the national railway network is a significant development milestone and an ambitious project that would help the UAE better prepare for the future.
“We are proud of the performance of our sons and daughters who have worked hard over the years to build an ambitious strategic project that will propel our national economy to greater heights,” Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid remarked.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum witnessed the inauguration of the UAE National Railway Network, at the main centre for control and maintenance, in the Al Fayah region, Abu Dhabi. The ambitious development project is one of the largest infrastructure projects in the region and aims to link the seven emirates with a main railway network.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid has also launched cargo train operations have been launched across all the emirates. The network contributes to supporting companies’ businesses and enhancing investment opportunities. The main line of the UAE National Rail Network extends from Ghuweifat on the border of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to Fujairah, forming an essential part of the global supply network.
Stage one of the Network has been fully operational since January 2016, whereas stage two of the project started in early 2020.
The UAE national railway network will contribute to supporting the national economy at a value of $54 billion (AED200 billion), and saving $2 billion (AED8 billion) in the cost of road maintenance. The network’s tourism benefits are estimated at $6 billion (AED23 billion).
The UAE national railway network passes through a variety of geographical terrains, within a large-scale engineering plan that includes the construction of 593 bridges and crossings of all types, and 9 tunnels with a length of 6.5 KM. It took 120 million cubic meters of excavation work to complete, to ensure the highest levels of vehicular traffic flow under the tracks of the railway network.