Hafil Rail to Launch Weekly UAE-Oman Cargo Service, Slashing Transport Costs

  • 26/10/2025

The UAE-Oman joint rail venture, Hafil Rail, has officially announced a new cargo train service set to operate between Abu Dhabi and Sohar. The service will run seven times a week, marking a significant step in cross-border logistics. While the exact start date was not revealed, the initiative was formalized through an agreement with the logistics company Notham, a part of the AD Ports Group.

A key benefit of this new rail link is a substantial reduction in the cost of moving goods between the two nations. Each train will have the capacity to carry 276 TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units) of cargo. This translates to an annual capacity of moving over 193,000 TEUs, providing a massive and efficient alternative to road transport.

The service will operate on the 238-kilometer Hafil Rail network, a $30 billion infrastructure project. Initially focused on freight, the long-term plan for the railway includes the eventual launch of passenger train services, further integrating the two countries and their economies.

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