Overview
- Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths said passengers bound for Al Maktoum International could check luggage at select Etihad Rail stations before arriving at the terminal.
- The planned Etihad Rail network is expected to include a stop at Dubai World Central, positioning the rail line as a direct feeder to the new airport.
- Etihad Rail’s passenger service is reported to target a 2026 launch, with projections of about 36.5 million riders annually by 2030.
- Al Maktoum International is undergoing a multibillion-dollar expansion toward up to 260 million passengers a year, with Dubai planning to transfer DXB operations to DWC over roughly a decade.
- A high-speed Abu Dhabi–Dubai line is planned with a station near Al Maktoum, targeting up to 350 km/h and about 30 minutes between the cities, alongside a broader push for biometric, ‘frictionless’ processing.