Dubai joins the national passenger railway on Wednesday 30 September 2026, when Etihad Rail opens its Dubai station alongside a new stop at Al Dhaid. For Dubai Metro riders, the useful detail is where it is: beside Jumeirah Golf Estates Metro Station on the Red Line, connected by a pedestrian walkway, so you can reach intercity trains without a car.
What is confirmed
Etihad Rail’s own passenger-service schedule sets out the phased launch:
- 30 June 2026: passenger services began, with routes connecting Abu Dhabi and Fujairah.
- 30 September 2026: Dubai and Al Dhaid stations open.
- 30 November 2026: Zayed City and Liwa stations.
- 30 December 2026: the remaining Al Dhafra stations.
- 30 March 2027: Sharjah station.
Where the Dubai station is, and how to reach it by Metro
Reporting by The National and Gulf News places the station — referred to locally as Dubai Al Yalayis Station — in Me’aisem First, next to Jumeirah Golf Estates, with road access from the E311, E44 and D57. It is linked to the Metro by a 400-metre elevated pedestrian walkway.
- Ride the Red Line and board a train signed Expo 2020. Trains signed Life Pharmacy take the other branch after National Paints — if you are on one, change at National Paints.
- Get off at Jumeirah Golf Estates (station code R73), the fourth stop on the Expo 2020 branch after National Paints.
- Follow the walkway signs to the Etihad Rail station.
Metro fares to the walkway: Jumeirah Golf Estates is in fare zone 3. From the Marina area (zone 2) the ride is a 2-zone trip, AED 5 on a Silver Nol card; from Downtown, Business Bay or Deira it crosses three or more zones, AED 7.50. See our Jumeirah Golf Estates station guide and the fare calculator for your exact trip.
What the train offers
The National reports a journey time of about 57 minutes between the Dubai station and Abu Dhabi’s Mohamed bin Zayed City station — quicker than a typical drive of up to an hour and a half in traffic. The station is also less than 10 km from Al Maktoum International Airport.
What is not announced yet
- Ticket prices and daily frequency for Dubai services had not been published when this was written. Check the Etihad Rail app or website before you travel.
- Nol cards. Etihad Rail runs its own ticketing. The RTA has said its Nol system is ready to be integrated with Etihad Rail, but until an integration is announced, do not assume your Nol card pays for the train. It does pay for the Metro leg to Jumeirah Golf Estates.
The bigger picture: two rail interchanges for Dubai
Jumeirah Golf Estates is set to become one of the network’s key interchanges: it is already the Red Line’s link to Etihad Rail, and it is the southern end of the planned Gold Line, due to open in September 2032. The National also reports that Dubai will get a second Etihad Rail station at Meydan, planned as an interchange with the Gold Line — which would give the city two points where the national railway meets the Metro.
We will update this article when Etihad Rail publishes fares and timetables for the Dubai station.