Oman-UAE rail link 40 percent complete

MUSCAT: A major railway linking Oman and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has reached a key milestone, with 40 percent of construction now complete, according to project officials.

The Hafeet Rail Company (Hafeet Rail), a joint venture project between Etihad Rail, Oman Rail and Mubadala Investment, will span 238 kilometres and is expected to play a significant role in strengthening economic ties between the two Gulf nations.

Construction work is continuing at an accelerated pace at several strategic locations along the routes, such as Al Ain, Buraimi, Wadi al Jazi, and Suhar, with construction teams navigating a mix of urban areas, industrial zones and challenging mountainous terrain.

The route requires complex solutions, including extensive excavation, bridge and tunnel construction, and flood protection systems to ensure long-term safety and sustainability.

Abdulrahman bin Salem Al Hatmi, CEO of ASYAD Group, said that the pace of the implementation reflects the commitment to operate this project and start serving passengers and sector services, as planned.

Excavation and backfilling work in the project is currently continuing on a large scale,with 27 million cubic meters of earthworks and concrete works exceeding 100,000 cubic meters, and in parallel with the tunnel excavation works in tunnels 1 and 2.

Engineering facilities are also progressing, with work currently underway at 80 sites, in addition to the implementation of 900 wedges and 130 box culverts.

Works are underway in key facilities in Suhar and Buraimi, in support of the project’s future role in connecting ports, industrial zones, and logistics centers, enabling transit freight movement across borders within an integrated regional system.

Meanwhile, Hafeet Rail’s chief executive, Ahmed Al Masawi Al Hashemi, highlighted the project’s safety record, noting that more than 10 million working hours have been completed without any serious injuries.

Railway systems, control, signaling, and communication systems adopted in the project meet the highest approved international standards, ensuring high levels of safety and interoperability between Omani and Emirati networks.

These systems reduce train lag time and increase power operating capacity, supporting process automation in various weather conditions.