Oman-UAE rail link to begin trial operations in late 2027

Dubai: Trial operations on the first railway linking Oman and the UAE are expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2027, Oman’s Transport Minister said, marking a major step towards cross border passenger and freight rail services between the two Gulf neighbours.

Said bin Hamoud Al Maawali, Oman’s Minister of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, told media on Tuesday that experimental operations would start during the final three months of 2027.

The 238 km railway is being developed by Hafeet Rail, a joint venture between Oman Rail, Etihad Rail and Mubadala Investment Company. It will connect the Omani port city of Sohar with the UAE’s national rail network through Al Buraimi and Al Ain.

Designed to carry both passengers and freight, the network will connect ports, industrial zones and logistics hubs, creating a new transport corridor to support trade and movement between Oman and the UAE.

Construction has been advancing across Sohar, Al Buraimi, Wadi Al Jizzi and Al Ain. Hafeet Rail said in April that the project had reached 40 per cent completion, with track installation subsequently beginning as work shifted from major civil construction to railway infrastructure.

The route includes about 2.5 km of tunnels, as well as dozens of bridges, viaducts, underpasses and other structures across mountainous, urban and industrial terrain.

Passenger trains are designed to reach speeds of up to 200 kph once services begin, cutting journey times between Sohar, Al Ain and Abu Dhabi and providing an alternative to road travel between the two countries.

Freight operations are expected to form a key part of the network, directly connecting Sohar’s port and industrial infrastructure with the UAE railway system and facilitating the movement of goods between logistics and industrial centres in both countries.