An agreement was signed between Oman Rail, the Sultanate of Oman’s national developer and operator of railway networks and Etihad Rail, the developer and operator of the UAE National Rail Network.
The agreement will see a $3 billion railway network developed connecting Sohar Port to the UAE National Rail Network.
The new company, Oman-Etihad Rail will handle the design, development and operation of the rail network, connecting the two countries.
The railway network will improve the efficiency of the supply chain, facilitate cross-border trade by linking commercial ports to the railway network, boost market competitiveness and reduce the total cost of supply chains.
The passenger trains will reduce travel time from Sohar to Abu Dhabi to 1 hour 40 minutes and from Sohar to Al Ain to 47 minutes, travelling at a maximum speed of 200 km/h and the freight trains will run up to 120 km/h.
Additionally, the project will strengthen the bond between Oman and the UAE.
Shadi Malak, CEO of Etihad Rail, said, "In line with the vision and directives of our wise leadership, we are delighted to start this partnership with Oman Rail, which heralds a new chapter of collaboration and prosperity between both countries. The agreement outlines a strategic roadmap for a sustainable project which will contribute to bolstering the solid relations between the UAE and Oman, and will play an instrumental role in facilitating national and regional trade by connecting the UAE National Rail Network with Sohar Port."