The Etihad Rail train from Dubai to Abu Dhabi takes about 57 minutes and costs from AED 39 in Comfort class booked online. Passenger trains have run between Al Yalayis Station in Jumeirah Golf Estates and Mohammed Bin Zayed City Station since Wednesday 30 September 2026. The catch for visitors is that neither station is in the centre, so you still need a taxi at each end. This guide gives the fares, how to book, and a straight comparison with the bus, a taxi and our Abu Dhabi city tour, from $45.
By SB Excursions · Published 28 October 2026 · Updated 28 October 2026
Tour on this route: Abu Dhabi City Tour from Dubai — From $45 per person, 9 hours.
How long does the Etihad Rail train from Dubai to Abu Dhabi take?
About 57 minutes between Al Yalayis Station in Dubai and Mohammed Bin Zayed City Station in Abu Dhabi. Gulf News also quotes about 1 hour 4 minutes, so plan on an hour on the train, plus a taxi at each end.
This guide also answers:
- How much is the Etihad Rail ticket from Dubai to Abu Dhabi?
- Can I book Etihad Rail tickets in advance?
- Is the train better than the bus or a taxi?
Five ways to get from Dubai to Abu Dhabi, with the train in the mix
#1
Etihad Rail, Comfort class
The cheapest way to cross between the two emirates by rail: Comfort is AED 39 booked online or AED 60 at a station machine, so booking ahead is the obvious choice. The ride is fast and calm. The weak point is not the train but the two taxi rides that come before and after it.
#2
Bus E100 or E101
The public buses take about 2 hours and leave you at a bus station in Abu Dhabi rather than at a sight. They are usually cheaper than the train and roughly an hour slower, and you still need a taxi for the last leg. Our guide to getting from Dubai to Abu Dhabi has the details.
#3
A taxi or private car
The only option that collects you where you are and drops you where you are going. The drive is about 1.5-2 hours depending on traffic. It costs the most per person unless you share it between three or four, so agree the fare before you set off and ask what a return trip would cost.
#4
Our Abu Dhabi city tour
From $45 per person on the shared tour, or $245 for a private car for up to 7 people. It includes hotel pickup in Dubai, Sharjah or Ajman, a licensed guide, Grand Mosque entry with registration help, the BAPS Mandir, Heritage Village and bottled water. There is no prepayment: agree the date on WhatsApp and pay on the day.
#5
The train plus a self-guided day
Possible, and the most flexible if you enjoy planning. Take a morning train, then a taxi to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, which is best before the midday crowds, and further taxis to the Corniche or Yas Island. The sights are far apart, so count each taxi ride into your budget and your day.
Dubai to Abu Dhabi by Etihad Rail: the short answer
The train takes about 57 minutes from Al Yalayis Station in Dubai to Mohammed Bin Zayed City Station in Abu Dhabi, and a Comfort ticket costs AED 39 when booked online. Etihad Rail launched the Dubai service on Wednesday 30 September 2026. At a station ticket machine the same Comfort ticket is AED 60, and Premium starts from AED 109.
For visitors the verdict is mixed. The train is quick, cheap and calm, but Al Yalayis is in Jumeirah Golf Estates and MBZ City is on the Abu Dhabi mainland, so neither station is where tourists sleep or sightsee. You need a taxi at each end, and that cost and time shrink the advantage. If you want the sights without the logistics, our Abu Dhabi city tour from $45 covers the whole day with hotel pickup. Everything here is as of 29 October 2026; fares and timetables can change, so check the Etihad Rail website or app before you book.
Stations, journey time and the train itself
The sources agree on the stations and differ a little on the time. Reports give about 57 minutes; Gulf News also quotes about 1 hour 4 minutes, and the preview run took about an hour. Plan on an hour on the train and treat anything shorter as a bonus.
| Item | What was reported |
|---|---|
| Dubai service launched | Wednesday 30 September 2026 |
| Dubai station | Al Yalayis Station, Jumeirah Golf Estates |
| Abu Dhabi station | Mohammed Bin Zayed City Station |
| Journey time | About 57 minutes (Gulf News also quotes about 1 hour 4 minutes) |
| Speed and capacity | Up to 200 km/h, up to 400 passengers a train (Gulf News, 29 September 2026) |
| Other passenger line | Abu Dhabi to Fujairah, running since 30 June 2026 |
As of 29 October 2026. Check the Etihad Rail website or app for the current timetable.
Etihad Rail is a separate intercity service, not part of the Dubai Metro. Our Dubai Metro guide covers the city network.
Fares and how to book
Book on the Etihad Rail website, in the Etihad Rail app or at the station ticket machines. Tickets can be booked up to four weeks ahead. Booking online saves AED 21 on a Comfort seat compared with the machine, which is reason enough to do it before you leave the hotel.
| Ticket | Fare | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Comfort, booked online | AED 39 | The cheapest fare |
| Comfort, at a station machine | AED 60 | The same class, bought on the day |
| Premium | From AED 109 | The upper class |
| nol One-Day Pass (optional) | AED 22 Regular, AED 42 Gold | An add-on at booking; check what it covers |
Fares as listed for the Dubai to Abu Dhabi service on 29 October 2026. Confirm before you pay.
The fares on the Abu Dhabi to Fujairah line are different, from AED 55 in Comfort to AED 120 in Premium, so do not mix the two price lists when you compare.
Train, bus, taxi or tour: how they compare
The train wins on time spent moving and on price against a taxi. It loses on door-to-door effort, because every option except the train starts and ends where you choose. Here is the trade-off in one table.
| Option | Time | Cost | Starts and ends | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Etihad Rail | About 57 minutes on the train, plus two taxi rides | Comfort AED 39 online, AED 60 at a machine; Premium from AED 109 | Al Yalayis to MBZ City | Light luggage and a flexible plan |
| Bus E100 or E101 | About 2 hours | Usually the lowest fare; check the current price | Bus station to bus station | Tight budgets |
| Taxi or ride-hailing | About 1.5-2 hours | The highest for one or two people | Your hotel to your address | Groups and luggage |
| Our Abu Dhabi city tour | A 9-hour day including the drive | From $45 shared; $245 private for up to 7 | Hotel pickup at 8:00 AM, back at your hotel | A first visit with a guide |
Our tour price is per person on the shared tour. The private car is $245 for up to 7 people.
If you are deciding between going alone and booking a day, our guide to an Abu Dhabi day trip: tour or on your own weighs it up, and shared against private covers the $245 car.
The catch: both stations are outside the centre
Al Yalayis sits in Jumeirah Golf Estates, an inland residential area in the south of Dubai, well away from Downtown, the Marina, Old Dubai and the beaches. Most visitors will reach it by taxi or ride-hailing car, so ask for the station by name and check the RTA app for any public option from your hotel before you rely on one.
MBZ City is a residential district on the Abu Dhabi mainland, not on Abu Dhabi island. From there the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the Corniche and Yas Island are each a separate taxi ride. Add a taxi at both ends to the ticket and the train comes much closer to the bus and the taxi than the 57 minutes suggests. Our guide to getting to the Grand Mosque from Dubai compares the options, and the Yas Island guide shows how far apart the sights are.
Who should take the train, and who should skip it
The train suits a particular kind of trip. Use this list to see whether it is yours.
- Take it if you are travelling alone or as a pair, with light luggage, to a specific address, meeting or event in Abu Dhabi.
- Take it if your hotel is in or near Jumeirah Golf Estates, or a taxi to Al Yalayis is short for you.
- Take it if you want an hour with no traffic on the E11 and you already know where you are going. For a big weekend in Abu Dhabi, see our note on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
- Skip it if you are staying in the Marina, Downtown, Old Dubai or on the Palm: the taxi to the station is already a journey.
- Skip it if you want the Grand Mosque, the BAPS Mandir and the Corniche in one day. The train saves nothing once you pay for taxis between the sights.
- Skip it with small children, a pushchair and bags, or if you want a guide who explains what you are looking at.
If you take the train: a short checklist
A few things decide whether the day goes smoothly. None of them is hard, but each one is easy to forget.
Book online, not at the machine, and check the first and last departures when you book, because the timetable is the one detail we cannot confirm for you. Arrange the taxi to Al Yalayis the night before, and decide how you will get from MBZ City to your first stop. If your first stop is the mosque, read the dress code and rules first, because it is strict: loose clothing covering ankles and wrists plus a headscarf for women, and covered shoulders and knees for men.
Know your return plan before you leave Dubai. A missed last train turns an AED 39 ticket into a long taxi ride, and our Abu Dhabi to Dubai guide lists the fallback options. The wider picture of the route, bus and taxi included, is in Dubai to Abu Dhabi: all the ways.
What is announced next
Etihad Rail has announced Al Dhafra stations for 30 December 2026 and a Sharjah station for 30 March 2027. Announced dates can move, so treat both as plans rather than promises. If you are staying in Sharjah or Ajman, which our Abu Dhabi tour also collects from, recheck the network in spring 2027 before you assume the Dubai stations are your only option.
Meanwhile the simplest way to see Abu Dhabi from Dubai without a station, a timetable or a taxi at each end is a day with pickup. The Abu Dhabi city tour leaves at 8:00 AM, and your other days can go to a Burj Khalifa slot or a desert evening on the full-day desert safari, from $45.
FAQ
How long does the Etihad Rail train from Dubai to Abu Dhabi take?
About 57 minutes between Al Yalayis Station in Dubai and Mohammed Bin Zayed City Station in Abu Dhabi. Gulf News also quotes about 1 hour 4 minutes, so plan on an hour on the train, plus a taxi at each end.
How much is the Etihad Rail ticket from Dubai to Abu Dhabi?
Comfort class is AED 39 booked online and AED 60 at a station ticket machine. Premium starts from AED 109. An optional nol One-Day Pass costs AED 22 (Regular) or AED 42 (Gold). Check the Etihad Rail website or app for the current fares.
Where does the train leave from in Dubai?
Al Yalayis Station in Jumeirah Golf Estates, not Downtown, the Marina or Dubai Airport. Most visitors need a taxi or ride-hailing car to reach it, so allow for that in both time and money.
Can I book Etihad Rail tickets in advance?
Yes. Tickets can be booked up to four weeks ahead on the Etihad Rail website and app, and at station machines. Booking online is the cheapest way, at AED 39 in Comfort class.
Is the train better than the bus or a taxi?
It is faster than the E100 or E101 bus, about 57 minutes against about 2 hours, and usually cheaper than a taxi for one or two people. The two taxi rides to and from the stations eat into both advantages, so for sightseeing a tour with pickup is easier.
Does the train stop at the Grand Mosque or in central Abu Dhabi?
No. On this service the Abu Dhabi stop is Mohammed Bin Zayed City Station, on the mainland rather than Abu Dhabi island. The Grand Mosque, the Corniche and Yas Island each need a taxi from there.
Which stations are planned next?
Etihad Rail has announced Al Dhafra stations for 30 December 2026 and Sharjah for 30 March 2027. Dates can move, so check the Etihad Rail website before you plan around them.
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