The UAE’s Etihad Rail has tendered a contract to design and build the civil works and station packages for the railway line connecting Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The tender notice was issued on 10 Jan with a bid submission deadline of 7 May.

Contractors are also forming joint ventures to bid for upcoming design-and-build works packages for the high-speed rail line project.

In January, MEED exclusively reported that Etihad Rail is expected to issue the request for proposals (RFP) for the project in the first quarter of 2025.

Etihad Rail started the post-prequalification clarifications with firms after they submitted their prequalification documents on 21 November last year.

In September last year, MEED exclusively reported on the construction plans for the UAE’s high-speed railway (HSR) network in early September. The design speed of the trains running on the network will be 350 kilometres an hour (km/h) and the operating speed will be 320km/h.

The proposed HSR programme will be constructed in four phases, gradually adding further connectivity to other areas within the UAE.

The first phase involves the construction of a railway line connecting Abu Dhabi and Dubai, which is expected to be operational by 2030.

The second phase will involve the development of an inner-city railway network with 10 stations within Abu Dhabi city.

The third phase of the railway network involves the construction of a connection between Abu Dhabi and Al-Ain.

The fourth phase involves the development of an inter-emirate connection between Dubai and Sharjah.

The 150-kilometre (km) first phase of the HSR will stretch from the Al-Zahiyah area of Abu Dhabi to Al-Jaddaf in Dubai.

The project’s civil works have been split into two packages – Abu Dhabi and Dubai – comprising four sections. The scope of these sections includes:

• Phase 1A: Al-Zahiyah to Yas Island (23.5km)
• Phase 1B: Yas Island to the border of Abu Dhabi/Dubai (64.2km)
• Phase 1C: Abu Dhabi/Dubai border to Al-Jaddaf (52.1km)
• Phase 1D: Abu Dhabi airport delta junction and connection with Abu Dhabi airport station (9.2km)

The project will include tunnelling works totalling 31km.

The rail line will have five stations: Al-Zahiyah (ADT), Saadiyat Island (ADS), Yas Island (YAS), Abu Dhabi airport (AUH) and Al-Jaddaf (DJD).

The ADT, AUH and DJD stations will be underground, while ADS will be elevated and YAS will be at grade.

The overall construction package also includes provisions for the rolling stock, railway systems and two maintenance depots.

The high-speed project will slash journey times between the UAE’s two largest cities and economic centres. The journey time between the YAS and DJD stations will be 30 minutes.

The preliminary site testing works have begun. Dubai-based Matcon Testing Laboratory and Abu Dhabi’s Engineering & Research International are conducting drilling tests to ascertain the ground conditions in areas through which the HSR will pass.

Spanish engineering firms Sener and Ineco are the project’s engineering consultants.