Al Dhaid in the UAE to get Etihad Rail passenger station — The National

A passenger station on the national Etihad Rail network is planned to open on September 30 in the city of Al Dhaid in the emirate of Sharjah, UAE. It is expected to connect the oasis city to the country’s network and make travel to other emirates easier for residents of surrounding towns, The National reports.

Station on the border of two emirates

Al Dhaid station is located on the border between Al Dhaid and Falaj Al Mualla in the emirate of Umm Al Quwain, about 5 km from the city center. It will serve residents of small rural towns within a radius of about 30 km.

According to the 2025 census, just under 40,000 people live in Al Dhaid, while neighboring Al Bataeh has about 9,000 residents. The populations of Falaj Al Mualla, Al Manama and Mleiha range from 5,000 to 7,000 people in each of these towns. No information has yet been announced about bus or other transport routes to and from the station.

Adel Fathy, senior financial controller at the Daraysh hotel and restaurant, said the rail connection would give the city “greater visibility, better accessibility and new opportunities for tourism and investment.”

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Tourism and infrastructure projects

Al Dhaid is Sharjah’s third-largest city and is known for its date palm plantations and fruit farms. Among the crops grown there are strawberries, dates, limes, guavas and mangoes. The city is home to Al Dhaid Fort, built in 1820 and restored in 2022; it now houses a museum of local heritage, falconry and caravan history.

At the end of 2023, the fort and the traditional falaj irrigation system were added to the Islamic World Heritage List of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Nearby are Sharjah Safari Park, Al Dhaid Wildlife Museum and the historic Al Mudarissa Tower.

The Al Dhaid bridge and lake project is being implemented in the area. The freshwater lake will have a capacity of more than 1.5 million cubic meters of water and will serve as a water reserve for the emirate. The bridge is scheduled to open at the end of October, while the lake will open later. Gulftainer is also preparing the 150-hectare Al Dhaid multimodal trade corridor, with an annual capacity of 1.5 million container units.