Etihad Rail is poised to transform the UAE's economic landscape by enhancing connectivity and significantly reducing travel times, which will stimulate investment and trade across the Emirates.

Firas Al Msaddi, CEO of fäm Properties, highlights that this rail network signifies a historic shift in infrastructure that will redefine value creation in real estate and other sectors.

With travel times slashed from two hours to just 50 minutes between cities, regions like Fujairah will become accessible hubs, altering the dynamics of where people choose to live and invest.

The introduction of the new rail system is expected to boost land prices in tier-2 cities and foster transit-oriented developments near stations, making these areas more attractive for both commercial and residential markets.

Faster travel will facilitate increased business transactions and meetings, contributing directly to higher productivity and GDP growth throughout the region.

Transit-oriented developments near Etihad Rail stations are anticipated to promote mixed-use clusters, enhancing residential and commercial growth in areas like Sharjah’s University City and Fujairah.

Al Msaddi draws comparisons to Japan’s bullet trains, predicting that tier-2 cities such as Al Dhaid, Ruwais, and Fujairah will experience heightened property values and investment interest due to improved accessibility.

He notes that Japan's bullet train system led to a significant increase in commercial land values and housing demand, suggesting a similar economic transformation could occur in the UAE.

Investors are encouraged to prioritize travel-time analytics over traditional geographic maps, as proximity to rail stations will become a crucial factor in real estate valuation and investment potential.

The UAE's capability to build this new rail system without existing infrastructure positions it to replicate the economic transformation seen in Japan during the 1980s.