https://www.arabianbusiness.com/ :A new railway line between the UAE and Oman has gained further traction following the announcement that trial operations will commence on the project in 2027.

Said bin Hamoud Al Maawali, Oman’s Minister of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, told a media briefing that the experimental operations on the project would likely take place in the final three months of 2027.

The rail industry across the UAE is booming with passengers services being rolled out for the first time ever earlier this summer.

The Fujairah to Abu Dhabi service has been a huge success, and with Dubai’s rail services set to commence the sector is only going to grow and expand.

This groundbreaking project linking the UAE with the Sultanate of Oman will only serve to drive more economic rewards for both countries and significantly boost tourism.

Hafeet Rail has been tasked with the responsibility of overseeing and delivering the joint venture between Oman Rail, Etihad Rail and Mubadala Investment Company.

The new railway will also connect the Omani port city of Sohar with the UAE’s national rail network through Al Buraimi and Al Ain.

The new services has been designed to carry both passengers and freight.

The new transport network will connect ports, industrial zones and logistics hubs, and in the process will create an entire new transport corridor to support trade and movement between Abu Dhabi and Muscat.

Construction on the project has been progressing well, with works spanning Sohar, Al Buraimi, Wadi Al Jizzi and Al Ain.

In April, Hafeet Rail provided an update on the project saying they had reached 40 per cent completion.

The new transport corridor will also consist of 2.5km in tunnels, a number of bridges, viaducts, and underpasses.

Journey times between Sohar, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain will be drastically reduced, with passenger trains capable of travelling at up to 200kph.