UAE Oman Rail, is a key agreement signed between the UAE and Oman to establish a railway network that will link the two countries by high-speed passenger train, and cut travel time to just 47 minutes. Soon you can ditch cars and planes to travel to Oman and board a train!
The rail network will carry freight and passengers. Passenger trains travel at a speed of 200 kilometres per hour that will connect Abu Dhabi with Sohar in the north of Muscat, according to Oman News Agency (ONA). Freight trains will run at up to 120kph.
The landmark agreement was signed between Oman Rail and Etihad Rail. The UAE National Rail Network – Etihad Rail has signed the deal with Sultanate’s Oman Rail to jointly establish an equally owned company, which will be called Oman-Etihad Rail Company.
The UAE Oman Rail Agreement
The agreement was signed by Shadi Malak, chief executive of Etihad Rail, and Abdulrahman Salim Al Hatmi, group chief executive of Oman’s state-owned logistics company Asyad.
The equally owned company – Oman-Etihad Rail Company will establish the connection. This upcoming infrastructure will link Oman’s Sohar Port to Abu Dhabi with an overall investment power of $3 billion.
The deal includes connecting the UAE’s existing freight services line to Sohar, the sultanate’s deep-sea port.
Under this agreement, the new company will lay the groundwork and workplan for the project, including its financial mechanisms and schedule. The company will also handle the design, development, and operation of the rail network, which connects Sohar and Abu Dhabi, in line with the standards of the two countries.
The 303km railway will be equipped with state-of-the-art passenger trains that will reduce travel time Sohar to Abu Dhabi to one hour and 40 minutes, and from Sohar to Al Ain to 47 minutes, travelling at a maximum speed of 200kph.
The announcement was made by Abu Dhabi Government Media Office in a tweet.
On the sidelines of the UAE President’s visit to Oman, Etihad Rail and Oman Rail agree to establish Oman-Etihad Rail Company – with an investment of more than AED11 billion – to build and operate a railway network linking Omani Sohar Port to the UAE’s national rail network. pic.twitter.com/VR2139CetY
— مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي (@admediaoffice) September 28, 2022
This major venture is an extension of the longstanding collaboration between Oman Rail and Etihad Rail, built on their historic and strategic relations.
This new project will help boost the national economy in both countries and will create a great infrastructure between the two neighbouring states. Travel between communities will be improved by providing seamless transport solutions between economic and industrial zones in Oman and the UAE.
The new railway network is believed to improve the efficiency of the supply chain, facilitate cross-border trade by linking commercial ports to the railway network, boost market competitiveness and reduce the total cost of supply chains.
This new transport system will create job opportunities across sectors, develop national human capital, and kick off a new age of innovation for both countries. In a broader sense, the project will enhance tourism between Oman and the UAE, strengthen their competitiveness in global trade, and improve their position as regional logistic hubs.
Shadi Malak, chief executive of Etihad Rail, said that the agreement “lays out a strategic roadmap for a sustainable project that will contribute to strengthening the solid relations between the UAE and Oman.”
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So far, 16 agreements have been signed between the UAE and Oman, in the fields of energy, co-operation on transport, communications and logistics, maritime transport, and co-operation and investment in industry.
The timeline for the UAE Oman Rail project is not yet determined, but we will keep an eye on it and update you as we learn more.
