I Rode the UAE's First Passenger Train—Here's What It's Like On Board Etihad Rail

The road into Fujairah has a way of slowing the eye. Past the city’s low-rise streets, stretches of farmland and the occasional view of mountains beyond the buildings, the UAE feels less hurried here, shaped as much by coast and cultivated land as by historic infrastructure. It's this softer rhythm that makes the first sight of Etihad Rail’s Fujairah Station so striking. Against the city’s quieter backdrop, the station feels modern in both scale and finish, its tall pale facade cut with dark glass and draped with long UAE flags. In a coastal town where daily life feels closer to the landscape, Fujairah Station carries the unmistakable weight of a grand, new arrival. I've been invited for an early preview of Etihad Rail’s passenger experience ahead of its launch, including a short return journey from Fujairah Station to Al Bithnah Bridge. With passenger services still being prepared for public rollout, the visit offers a hint of how rail travel across the UAE might actually feel. Fujairah Station is the first fully completed passenger station in the Etihad Rail network, with an approximate footprint of 51,900 square meters. Once inside, it's imposing but not overwhelming: th