(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

Etihad Rail, the UAE's national railway project, could have a stop at Dubai's new Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central, potentially allowing passengers to check in from its train stations.

In an interview with Flight Global, Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, said that the“planned Etihad Rail network for the UAE is expected to include a stop at DWC (Dubai World Central)".

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Dubai Airports CEO foresees“an eventual integrated system where passengers en route to the airport will be able to check their bags in at train stations.”

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As reported by Khaleej Times in May 2025, Etihad Rail is set to launch its passenger train service in 2026. Once operational, it is anticipated that the service will accommodate around 36.5 million passengers annually by 2030.

The rail will connect key cities, including Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Al Ain, Ruwais, Al Mirfa, Al Dhaid, Ghuweifat (bordering Saudi Arabia), and Sohar (Oman, via the Hafeet Rail project).

As Dubai is expanding its mode of transport, a new high-speed electrified line connecting Abu Dhabi to Dubai will feature six stations at Reem Island, Yas Island, Saadiyat Island, Zayed Airport, close to Al Maktoum Airport in Dubai, and Jaddaf, near Dubai Creek. The high-speed train will transport commuters between Abu Dhabi and Dubai in just 30 minutes, reaching speeds of up to 350 kmph.

In April 2024, the Dubai government announced that all operations at Dubai International (DXB) will be transferred to Al Maktoum International (DWC). The new Dh128-billion passenger terminal at the DWC will scale up passenger capacity to 260 million annually and“fully absorb” DXB's operations in 10 years.

As Dubai International is fast approaching its full capacity, Al Maktoum International Airport will meet the need by accommodating fast-growing passenger growth in Dubai.

Dubai International is the world's busiest international airport, handling 46 million passengers in the first half of 2025, marking its busiest first half on record. In the second quarter alone, DXB served 22.5 million guests, an increase of 3.1 per cent over the same period last year.

Griffiths told Khaleej Times earlier that Dubai Airports will require more than one airport's worth of staff during the testing and transition period from DXB to DWC.

He noted that the aim is“to create a frictionless” airport where passengers don't need to stop and a biometric signature sees them through the whole process.

“We want an airport where you transfer from one intimate concourse to another. AI (artificial intelligence) means we can schedule aircraft on a flexible basis, and schedule connections so that connecting passengers are closest to the aircraft they are connecting to,” Dubai Airports' CEO said in the interview with Flight Global.

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