Years in the making, Etihad Rail – the UAE's first train network – has officially launched, with the first passenger service leaving Fujairah station on Tuesday, 30 June. Etihad Rail, which will eventually connect all seven emirates and the wider GCC, has launched in an “operational phase”, with the initial service ferrying passengers between Mohamed bin Zayed City station in the capital and Al Hilal City in Fujairah throughout the summer, ahead of the train's official launch date on Tuesday, 30 September. The opening services will link Mohammed bin Zayed City in Abu Dhabi, Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai, and Fujairah’s Al Hilal area, forming what Etihad Rail describes as the core spine of the national network.