The passenger service is open
Etihad Rail began carrying passengers between Abu Dhabi and Fujairah on 30 June 2026, and opened to the wider public on 30 September 2026, when Al Yalayis station in Dubai and Al Dhaid in Sharjah came into service.
Four passenger stations are running today. Al Dhafra follows on 30 December 2026, and Sharjah Train Station on 30 March 2027.
Work out your fare
Note: These are Etihad Rail’s “from” prices. Fares move with the date and time of day, so your departure can cost more than the figure here. Book in the Etihad Rail app for the live price.
Every published Etihad Rail fare
The full fare table as published, cross-checked on 6 October 2026. Fares are the same in both directions; only the timetable differs.
| Route | Comfort from | Premium from | Journey time | Trains a day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai (Al Yalayis) ↔ Abu Dhabi (Mohamed bin Zayed City) | AED 39 | AED 109 | 57 minutes to 1 hour 4 minutes | 5 each way |
| Dubai (Al Yalayis) ↔ Fujairah (Al Hilal City) | AED 29 | AED 89 | 1 hour 10 minutes | 1 |
| Abu Dhabi (Mohamed bin Zayed City) ↔ Fujairah (Al Hilal City) | AED 55 | AED 120 | 1 hour 51 minutes | 3 |
| Abu Dhabi (Mohamed bin Zayed City) ↔ Al Dhaid (Sharjah) | AED 59 | AED 149 | 1 hour 24 minutes | 3 |
| Fujairah (Al Hilal City) ↔ Al Dhaid (Sharjah) | AED 19 | AED 49 | 25 minutes | 3 |
Two things stand out. Dubai to Fujairah costs less than Dubai to Abu Dhabi, at AED 29 against AED 39, even though it is the longer run in time. And the Fujairah routes are priced very differently depending on where you start: AED 55 from Abu Dhabi, AED 29 from Dubai, AED 19 from Al Dhaid. The fares are clearly not set by distance alone.
The catch on the cheap route is frequency. Dubai to Fujairah runs once a day in each direction, where Dubai to Abu Dhabi runs five times. A fare that good is no use if the single train leaves before you finish work.
Dubai to Abu Dhabi by train
The headline route. Five trains each way every day, the first leaving Dubai around 06:14, and a journey of roughly an hour — reported as 57 minutes and as 1 hour 4 minutes depending on the service, so treat it as about an hour rather than a fixed number.
Comfort starts at AED 39 and Premium at AED 109. Both are “from” prices under dynamic pricing, so the cheapest seats go to whoever books earliest on the quietest departures.
The part that catches people out is the station. Al Yalayis sits in Jumeirah Golf Estates, off Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, not in central Dubai. If you are coming from Deira or Bur Dubai, add the taxi or metro leg to both the time and the cost before deciding the train is quicker.
Abu Dhabi to Dubai by train
Same fare, same hour, five trains a day. Etihad Rail prices the route rather than the direction, so there is no cheaper way round.
What does differ is the timetable, and it matters more in this direction for commuters: the question is whether the last train back to Abu Dhabi leaves after you finish, not what it costs. Stations run from 05:00 to 23:00, and the published departures sit inside that window.
Dubai and Abu Dhabi to Fujairah
Fujairah station is at Al Hilal City, and it is reachable from three directions at three very different prices:
- From Dubai: AED 29 Comfort, AED 89 Premium, 1 hour 10 minutes, one train a day.
- From Abu Dhabi: AED 55 Comfort, AED 120 Premium, 1 hour 51 minutes, three trains a day.
- From Al Dhaid in Sharjah: AED 19 Comfort, AED 49 Premium, 25 minutes, three trains a day.
The Abu Dhabi to Fujairah fare began as a launch price, half of an original AED 109 Comfort fare, during the introductory phase from 30 June. It is still the published figure, but it is the one most likely to move, so check before you assume AED 55.
For a day trip from Dubai, the single daily train in each direction is the planning constraint, not the price. Check both the outbound and the return before committing to a day on the east coast.
Is the train cheaper than driving?
For one person to Abu Dhabi, usually yes. A 140 km drive at 9 litres per 100 km, with Special 95 at AED 4.28 a litre in October 2026, is about AED 54 of petrol each way before Salik, parking or wear on the car. Comfort class starts at AED 39.
The arithmetic flips with passengers. Petrol is shared; the fare is per person. Two people travelling together cost AED 78 by train against the same AED 54 of fuel, and a family of four is not close. Run your own numbers in the UAE fuel cost calculator with your real distance and economy, and remember to add the Salik crossings on the route.
What the fuel comparison leaves out is the connection at each end. Al Yalayis and Mohamed bin Zayed City are both outside their city centres, so a door-to-door comparison needs a Dubai taxi fare at one end and an Abu Dhabi taxi fare at the other.
Saver, Value and Flex
Every fare comes in three forms, and the difference is flexibility rather than comfort — the seat you sit in is the same within a class.
- Saver: the base fare. Your seat is assigned for you, and the ticket cannot be changed or refunded.
- Value: about AED 20 more in either class. You pick your seat and can change the ticket, but it is not refundable.
- Flex: about AED 60 more in Comfort and AED 90 more in Premium. Seat selection, changes and refunds.
On a AED 39 Comfort fare, Flex nearly triples what you pay. It earns that only if there is a real chance you will not travel.
How to use this calculator
- Pick your stations: choose the station you are leaving from and the one you are travelling to.
- Choose a class: Comfort is the standard cabin; Premium is the higher fare with more space.
- Choose a fare type: Saver is the base fare, Value adds seat selection and changes, Flex adds refunds.
- Set passengers and trip type: enter how many are travelling and whether you want a one way or return total.
- Calculate: the total shows the fare for everyone travelling, with the journey time and how many trains run that day.
Worked examples
AED 39 one way, AED 78 return.
29 × 4 × 2 = AED 232 — on the one train a day each way.
109 + 90 = AED 199 one way, against AED 39 for Comfort Saver.
Tips and things to check
- Fares are dynamic. The AED 39 is a floor, not a fixed price — book early and off-peak for it.
- Count the connection at both ends. Neither terminus is in a city centre.
- On Dubai to Fujairah, check the return train before you book the outbound. There is only one a day.
- Travelling as a group? Compare the per-person fare against shared fuel before assuming the train wins.
- Al Dhafra stations open 30 December 2026 and Sharjah Train Station on 30 March 2027 — neither is bookable yet.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Etihad Rail ticket from Dubai to Abu Dhabi?
From AED 39 in Comfort class and from AED 109 in Premium, one way. Those are "from" prices: Etihad Rail prices by date and time of day, so a busy departure can cost more. Five trains run each way every day and the journey takes about an hour.
Is the fare the same from Abu Dhabi to Dubai?
Yes. Etihad Rail prices the route, not the direction, so Abu Dhabi to Dubai starts at the same AED 39 Comfort and AED 109 Premium. What differs is the timetable, so check departure times rather than expecting a mirror image of the outbound run.
How much is the train from Dubai to Fujairah?
From AED 29 in Comfort and AED 89 in Premium, which makes it cheaper than Dubai to Abu Dhabi despite being a longer run in time terms at 1 hour 10 minutes. There is only one train a day in each direction, so this route needs planning rather than turning up.
Why is Dubai to Fujairah cheaper than Dubai to Abu Dhabi?
Etihad Rail has not published its reasoning. What is clear from the fare table is that the prices are not set by distance alone: Abu Dhabi to Fujairah is AED 55 while Dubai to Fujairah is AED 29, and Abu Dhabi to Al Dhaid is AED 59 while Fujairah to Al Dhaid is AED 19.
What is the difference between Saver, Value and Flex?
Saver is the base fare with a seat assigned to you and no changes or refunds. Value adds seat selection and the ability to change your ticket, for about AED 20 more. Flex adds refunds on top, for about AED 60 more in Comfort and AED 90 in Premium. None of them changes the seat you physically sit in within a class.
Which stations are actually open?
Four passenger stations are in service: Abu Dhabi at Mohamed bin Zayed City, Dubai at Al Yalayis near Jumeirah Golf Estates, Al Dhaid in Sharjah, and Fujairah at Al Hilal City. Stations across Al Dhafra are due on 30 December 2026, and Sharjah Train Station on 30 March 2027.
Where exactly is the Dubai station?
Al Yalayis station sits in Jumeirah Golf Estates, just off Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road (E311). It is not in central Dubai, so factor in the time and cost of getting out there before comparing the rail fare with driving the whole way.
Is the train cheaper than driving to Abu Dhabi?
On fuel alone it usually is. A 140 km drive at 9 litres per 100 km, with Special 95 at AED 4.28 a litre in October 2026, costs about AED 54 in petrol each way before Salik, parking or wear. A Comfort ticket starts at AED 39. Driving wins when several people travel together, because the fuel cost is shared and the fare is per person.
Can I turn up and buy a ticket?
Tickets can be bought through the Etihad Rail website or app up to about five minutes before departure, so a walk-up is possible. On a route with one train a day, such as Dubai to Fujairah, booking ahead is the safer plan.
Do you store my numbers?
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Where these figures come from
This calculator follows Etihad Rail’s published passenger fares, from Etihad Rail. Dubai Calculators is independent and is not affiliated with that body.
Last checked against the source: 6 October 2026. Every fare, journey time and frequency above was cross-checked against two independent reports of the published fares, and the Dubai station name and first departure against a third. Fares are dynamic and the Abu Dhabi to Fujairah price began as a launch discount, so confirm the live price in the Etihad Rail app before you travel.
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Disclaimer
Disclaimer: Educational estimate based on Etihad Rail’s published fares. Fares are dynamic and subject to change. Confirm on official channels before booking. Not affiliated with Etihad Rail or any UAE authority.