Oman-UAE railway trial operations expected to begin in Q4 2027
The project aims to establish a direct connection between Sohar Port in Oman and the UAE’s national railway network
Trial operations on the first railway connecting Oman and the UAE are anticipated to commence in the fourth quarter of 2027. The move signifies a significant milestone in the development of a cross-border rail corridor aimed at enhancing passenger travel, trade, and logistics between the 2-nations.
Oman’s Minister of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology, Said bin Hamoud Al Maawali said that experimental operations on the railway would commence during the final 3-months of the upcoming year.
The announcement provides the most detailed timeline yet for the commencement of testing on the significant Hafeet Rail project. This project aims to establish a direct connection between Sohar Port in Oman and the UAE’s national railway network via Al Buraimi and Al Ain, said a statement.
The cross-border section of the project is being developed by Hafeet Rail, a joint venture comprising Etihad Rail, Oman Rail, and Mubadala Investment Company. This section will integrate into the UAE National Rail Network, thereby extending the reach of the UAE’s rail system into Oman, it added.
The project is intended to carry both freight and passengers, linking Sohar Port and surrounding industrial and logistics facilities with major centres and transport infrastructure in the UAE.
Hafeet Rail reported that construction had reached 40% completion by April this year. Over 27m cubic metres of earthworks had been completed, and work was underway on bridges, tunnels, and other major structures along the route.
The challenging terrain includes sections traversing the Hajar mountain region. The railway incorporates 2.5km of tunnels and numerous bridges, viaducts, and underpasses as it passes through mountainous, urban, and industrial areas.
By connecting Sohar Port directly with the UAE rail network, Hafeet Rail will create a new land-based logistics corridor between one of Oman’s principal ports and the UAE’s wider network of ports, industrial zones and logistics centres.
The 2-countries have already been preparing for freight services. In 2025, Hafeet Rail and Noatum Logistics, part of AD Ports Group, signed a preliminary agreement aimed at establishing a dedicated rail freight service between Abu Dhabi and Sohar. The proposed service is intended to provide an alternative to road transport and improve the efficiency and resilience of cross-border supply chains.
The railway will also introduce direct passenger rail services between Oman and the UAE once commercial operations begin.
Passenger trains are designed to operate at speeds of up to 200km per hour. The planned journey between Abu Dhabi and Sohar has been cited at around 1 hour 40min, while the Al Ain-Sohar journey is expected to take about 47min, the statement concluded.
