Etihad Rail is adding six extra services to its Abu Dhabi-Dubai passenger line this weekend after the opening week's trains sold out within days. The operator said on Friday, October 2, that three additional trains will run on Saturday and three more on Sunday, October 5 and 6, making more than 2,000 extra seats available to passengers.
Under the expanded schedule, one new departure leaves Abu Dhabi for Dubai at 12:14pm, another runs from Dubai to Abu Dhabi at 1:43pm, and a third leaves Abu Dhabi for Dubai at 4:43pm. With the addition, the weekend tally rises to six departures from Dubai and seven from Abu Dhabi.
The service launched on September 30, when President Sheikh Mohamed and Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed opened the Al Yalayis station. The initial ten weekly trains quickly sold out, which Etihad Rail described as exceptional early demand from residents eager to try the new link.
Officials say the rush reflects growing interest in rail as an alternative to driving or taking a bus between the two emirates, particularly among commuters and weekend travellers. Earlier passenger accounts cited comfort and punctuality as the main reasons for choosing the train over road transport.
The extra weekend trains are described as a first step, with Etihad Rail saying it will review the weekly timetable on the Abu Dhabi-Dubai route if demand keeps outpacing current capacity. The company has not yet announced ticket prices for the additional services or confirmed whether weekday frequency will also increase.
For now, travellers are advised to book early, as the first batch of tickets for the new corridor sold out faster than operators anticipated.