Track work signals Gulf rail integration push

Hafeet Rail has begun laying tracks on the planned UAE-Oman railway, moving the Gulf’s first cross-border rail link from heavy civil construction into a more visible phase of delivery as the two countries seek to deepen trade, tourism and logistics ties.

The 238-kilometre railway, being developed by Hafeet Rail, will connect Sohar Port with Abu Dhabi through Al Ain and Al Buraimi, linking Oman’s port and industrial base with the UAE national rail network. The project is structured as a joint venture involving Etihad Rail, Oman Rail and Mubadala Investment Company, and is expected to carry both freight and passengers once operational.

The start of track-laying follows Hafeet Rail’s April announcement that the project had crossed 40 per cent completion, a milestone that underlined the pace of construction across difficult terrain, including mountain corridors, wadis, border areas and industrial zones. Work has included more than 27 million cubic metres of earthworks, over 100,000 cubic metres of concrete, tunnel excavation, 80 structures under construction, 900 concrete piles and 130 box culverts.

The railway is designed to support a wider transport and logistics corridor between the two neighbours by connecting ports, industrial estates, logistics hubs and population centres. Sohar Port, one of Oman’s key maritime gateways, is expected to gain faster access to regional markets through the UAE rail network, while Abu Dhabi and Al Ain would benefit from a direct land freight route to Oman’s coast.

Passenger trains are planned to operate at speeds of up to 200 kilometres per hour, cutting travel time between Sohar and Abu Dhabi to about 100 minutes and between Sohar and Al Ain to about 47 minutes. Freight trains are expected to run at up to 120 kilometres per hour. A single freight train journey on the network is expected to carry more than 15,000 tonnes of cargo, equivalent to about 270 standard containers.

The commercial case rests on reducing dependence on long-haul road freight, lowering logistics costs and improving the predictability of cross-border supply chains. Mining, metals, petrochemicals, agriculture, food, retail and e-commerce are among the sectors expected to benefit from faster and more reliable movement of goods between the two countries.

The project also fits into wider Gulf efforts to build integrated transport systems that can compete with established shipping and trucking corridors. For Oman, the link strengthens Sohar’s position as a gateway for cargo moving between the Gulf, Asia and Africa. For the UAE, it extends the strategic reach of its national rail network and supports its ambition to become a regional logistics and industrial hub.

Tourism is another part of the project’s appeal. Passenger services would make weekend and business travel between Oman and the UAE easier, particularly between Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Al Buraimi and Sohar. Easier rail access could support hotels, retail, events and cultural tourism on both sides of the border, while reducing pressure on road crossings during peak travel periods.

Engineering complexity remains a central feature of the project. The route passes through varied geography, requiring bridges, tunnels, flood-protection systems and works in mountainous and wadi environments. Such terrain increases the importance of safety systems, drainage design, signalling reliability and long-term maintenance planning.

Hafeet Rail has also highlighted safety performance, with ten million safe man-hours recorded without major injuries by the time the 40 per cent completion milestone was announced. The company has said the railway systems, signalling, communications and control technologies will be built to recognised international standards, allowing interoperability between the two national networks.

The project carries broader strategic weight because it is the first practical cross-border rail link between two Gulf states. It is being watched as a test case for wider regional rail integration, including future connections that could eventually support a more connected Gulf transport grid.