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Dubai: For many professionals who live in one emirate and work in the other, the Abu Dhabi-Dubai drive can swallow a large part of the working day, stretching to as much as two hours each way in peak-hour traffic.
From September 30, next week, Etihad Rail offers a way out. Its new passenger rail service will run between Dubai Al Yalayis Station and Mohammed Bin Zayed City in Abu Dhabi, covering the distance in about 57 minutes, roughly half the time the same trip can take by road, taking into account peak hour traffic.
The impact could reach beyond the journey itself. As HR experts told Gulf News in an earlier report, faster connections could give employers access to talent they previously couldn’t reach, and give jobseekers more room to consider roles in the other emirate.
But the people with the most at stake are those who make the trip most often – daily and weekly commuters, and professionals who cross emirates for projects and meetings. Will they leave the car behind? We asked them to weigh the pros and cons.
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“Catch up on some work before heading to the office”
Akshata Kamath, a 31-year-old media professional, lives in Abu Dhabi and commutes to Dubai almost every day for her job in Media City.
“I wouldn’t necessarily use Etihad Rail every day to commute, but I would definitely consider using it a few times a month,” she says. “I think it would be more convenient than sitting in a car for two to three hours.”
The appeal, she says, is what you can do once you’re on board. “On a train, you don’t really feel the length of the journey, and with free Wi-Fi, you can easily respond to emails and catch up on some work before heading to the office.”
Geography also works in her favour. She lives in Al Qana, close to the Abu Dhabi station in MBZ City. “I also live in the Al Qana area, which is approximately 10 minutes from the station in Abu Dhabi, located in MBZ City, so I would consider using the train from time to time,” she says.
The Dubai end matters too, since the station connects to the Metro. “The Dubai station is also linked to the Dubai Metro, which would provide easier access to the wider metro network. That would be particularly useful as Media City has stations such as Al Fardan, Internet City and Sobha Realty along the route.”
Then there’s the fare. “When it comes to the price, which starts at Dh39 for a single trip, it is definitely cheaper than taking a taxi and faster than travelling by bus.”
The weekly commuter: Balancing convenience and cost
Shreya Parthasarathy, a consultant who commutes from Abu Dhabi to her main office in Downtown Dubai once or twice a week, said she would consider taking the train a few times a week.
“First of all, if you don’t drive or have a car, public transport can be a little slower, while taking a taxi regularly can be expensive. Even if you do drive, the journey can be quite tiring, especially if you’re making the trip multiple times a week. So, yes, I would consider using the train a few times a week.
“There is also the additional cost and time involved in getting to and from the stations, particularly for people who rely on public transport. But even after factoring in those last-mile considerations, I think it is worth trying. It could be a convenient option for a lot of commuters.”
A welcome break from long drives
Rasha Abushamaa knows the road better than most. The Jordanian expatriate, a marketing and communications specialist and mother of four, travelled from Dubai to Abu Dhabi almost daily for three years, from 2022 to 2025. She is now mainly based in Abu Dhabi, and the long drive is no longer part of her routine, but she hasn’t forgotten it.
“Now, I only travel to Dubai for work when there is an event or a project, but to be honest, I don’t really enjoy driving for long stretches,” she says. “The road from Abu Dhabi to Dubai can feel like one long, continuous journey.”
She sees the train as a way to make that time count. “I think when you’re on a train, you don’t really feel the length of the journey as much, and you can use the time to work on your laptop or read a book.”
Her own use would be occasional, and built around her family’s routine. “I would consider taking the train when I need to go to Dubai for an event. The MBZ station is a little further from where I live, but my children’s school is in the MBZ area, so if I could park my car at the station and take the train from there, that could be quite convenient for me.”
She hasn’t taken the train yet, but a family trip is already planned. “I haven’t tried it yet, but my family and I are also planning to take the train to Fujairah for a short weekend staycation at one of the resorts. I think once I’ve tried it, I’ll have a better idea of how useful it could be for my trips to Dubai.”
Choosing the train over traffic, petrol and Salik
Ahmed ElMowalad, a 35-year-old Egyptian expatriate who has lived in the UAE for nine years, isn’t a daily commuter. The Dubai-based tech professional used to travel to Abu Dhabi every few weeks for work and meetings, and says the drive takes more out of you than the hours suggest.
“I think the train could also make the journey less tiring,” he says. “Driving for long hours, sitting in traffic and stopping for petrol can leave you tired by the time you arrive, especially if you have to make the return journey on the same day.”
He wouldn’t ride it every day, but he can see when he would. “I probably wouldn’t use it every day, but I would definitely consider it when I want to avoid peak-hour traffic. When you also factor in Salik and petrol costs, the train could be a convenient alternative.”
He also sees a bigger shift, one that goes beyond the individual journey. “I think this will make it easier for people to consider job opportunities in other emirates. For some people, the location and commute are important factors when deciding whether to accept a job. Spending hours stuck in traffic can put people off, so having a faster and more convenient way to travel could make a difference.”
And for employers, he says, the benefits could be practical. “If a group of employees needs to travel from Dubai to Abu Dhabi for a meeting or a project, taking the train could be much easier than spending two or three hours on the road, especially with traffic. It could also make it easier to meet clients or colleagues in another emirate.”
The wait-and-see crowd
Not everyone is ready to switch immediately. Benny Huang, a 21-year-old intern at a Dubai-based recruitment agency in JLT, was born and raised in the UAE. He recently got his driving licence and, for now, prefers to travel by car.
“I recently got my driving licence, so at the moment I find it more convenient to travel by car,” he says. “Before I got my licence, I used to take the bus from Zayed Airport to Ibn Battuta and then continue by Dubai Metro.”
He’s curious rather than convinced. “The Abu Dhabi station is about 20 minutes from my home, so I’m not sure I would use the train every day. However, I might consider driving to the station, leaving my car there and taking the train to Dubai, just to try it out and see how convenient it is for me. Train travel between the emirates is still a fairly new concept, so I think I would want to experience it first before deciding how often I would use it.”
What it means for the job market
Recruitment specialists see the same hesitation and the same potential. James Randall, Middle East Sales Director at HireRight, says easier travel could open up roles that were once off the table.
“Easier travel between Dubai and Abu Dhabi could make roles that candidates previously considered impractical feel genuinely viable, particularly where employers offer hybrid working or do not require a daily office presence. For many professionals, the decision will depend not only on journey time, but also on predictability, cost, and how often they are expected on-site.”
A reliable passenger rail link could also help employers recruit from a broader talent pool, while giving workers more choice without requiring them to relocate.
But Randall cautions that transport is only part of the picture. “However, transport will remain only one part of the decision. Salary, flexibility, career progression, and the complete door-to-door commute will still determine whether an opportunity is attractive. Employers that combine improved connectivity with realistic working arrangements are likely to benefit most.”
