Agreement to finance the second phase of the UAE rail network

Media In Abu Dhabi, November 27, 2018 (WAM)
The Ministry of Finance and the Finance Department of Abu Dhabi signed an agreement to finance the second phase of the UAE national rail network being developed by the Union Railway Company.
The second phase extends 605 kilometers from Ghweifat on the state border with Saudi Arabia westward to Fujairah on the east coast and will be followed by a number of future projects to complete the network.
The volume of transport is expected to increase from 7 million tonnes per year in the first phase to more than 50 million tons.
HH Sheikh Thiab Bin Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Department of Transport, Chairman of Etihad Airways, said that this national project is a qualitative leap forward, establishing a new transport sector in the UAE, achieving many benefits locally and internationally, linking the country’s cities and industrial zones, stimulating economic diversification and supporting economic and social development in the country.
The UAE National Railways Network achieves a range of economic benefits such as upgrading the transport and shipping sector in the UAE by connecting ports, manufacturing points, production and population centers. The network supports future growth with a sustainable, safe, modern and cost-effective transport system and reduces the number of vehicles used on roads At the same time, thanks to its world-class standards, the Union’s network of trains will improve the movement of goods and people through the opening of new trade corridors.