Dubai’s longest rail bridge over Al Qudra takes shape

Etihad Rail posted images of the Al Qudra bridge, which is the “longest within the Emirate’s mainline network”.

This forms a vital route for trade and commerce to facilitate the “movement of goods throughout the UAE”, the rail operator posted on Twitter.

Etihad Rail’s passenger services will connect 11 cities in the UAE. With top speeds of 200kmph, passengers can travel from Abu Dhabi to Dubai in 50 minutes, and from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah in 100. The trains are expected to reduce commute times by up to 40 per cent. By 2030, the number of passengers is expected to reach more than 36.5 million annually.

Last week, Etihad Rail had offered a glimpse into its 1km marine bridge that connects the Khalifa port to the national railway network. “This will improve the efficiency of goods transportation and cuts down on shipping expenses,” it posted.

Last year, the rail reached several milestones, including a 75 per cent completion of its 1,200km long network.

Earlier, residents of neighbourhoods around the area had said about their excitement in spotting trains.

Rineesha Mohammed Ali, who lives in Nshama Town Square, has seen the train track take shape from her house. “The location is a constant hive of activity,” she said. “It is actually quite exciting to watch the whole thing take shape. Sometimes if you are lucky enough to look out of the window at the right time, you can see locomotives on the tracks.”