11 transportation systems coming to the UAE
From driverless cars to a rail connecting all seven emirates and more…
We have several upcoming megaprojects to look forward to in the UAE, from brilliant new hotel openings to historic museums, man-made island developments, and malls, just to name a few. Additionally, we have plenty of new transportation systems coming to the UAE that we can’t wait for.
Now, as we already know, the UAE is home to several public transportation systems, including the very (very…) popular Dubai Metro, tram system, monorail, and water taxis, but it will be home to much more.
Here are 11 transportation systems coming to the UAE
Across the UAE
Etihad Rail
One of the UAE’s most ambitious travel projects is the 1,200km long Etihad Rail network. The massive project will link the seven emirates together but has plans for future ambitions that extend beyond our borders into the rest of the GCC. In fact, in September, the UAE signed a contract to work with Jordan on constructing a 360km rail network. Could this be the first tentative steps of the next phase of inter-regional passenger travel for the GCC?
For those traveling within the UAE, Etihad Rail has stated it will take just 57 minutes from Abu Dhabi city to Dubai and 105 minutes from Abu Dhabi city to Fujairah. But it’s not just passengers the new upcoming rail system will ferry. It will also transport cargo, and, as per Etihad Rail, commercial freight operations have already begun.
As for the passenger trains, we may have to wait a while, but we are checking for updates from this project and posting important milestones here.
Dubai
RAILBUS
On February 10, 2025, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced a brand new mode of transportation at the World Government Summit: a RAILBUS in Dubai. It will be a sustainable future mass transit system powered by solar energy, thus making it a sustainable and efficient public transport solution. The system aligns with UAE Net Zero Strategy 2050 which aims to make 25 per cent of all trips in Dubai autonomous by 2030. It will be made using 3D printing technology using recyclable materials and will be able to carry 40 passengers. It will move on tracks across the city through a network of bridges.
Read more here.
Dubai Loop
The Dubai Loop is a huge upcoming project between Dubai and Elon Musk. The main aim of the new underground transportation project, is, of course, to ease traffic. Musk stated that although airspace is a great mode of transportation to help stop congestion, it can be a challenge, especially in bad weather. He also pointed out it can be noisy and generates a lot of wind force. With the Dubai Loop, Musk describes it as a ‘wormhole’, where in you board from one part of the city, and then you’re out in another part. Further details were not revealed about the project, but we will be keeping our detective hats on as we can’t wait to learn more.
Read more here.
Seaglider
The Seaglider will transit passengers from Dubai to Abu Dhabi setting you back just Dhs165. The fully electric craft is a cross between a glider (a light aircraft) and boat. It combines the speed of an aircraft with the accessibility of a boat and is designed for travel between coastal cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi. It essentially uses the ‘wing-in-ground effect’ – a technology that has been around for over 60 years. It will be able to travel up to speeds of 290kph cutting down travel times.
Read more here.
Driverless taxis
In 2021, HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, announced the signing of an agreement between the Road and Transport Authority (RTA) and Cruise, a leading US-based autonomous vehicle company that will operate self-driving taxis and ride-hailing services in the emirate. The agreement supports Dubai’s 2030 vision for self-driving technology. It also makes Dubai the first non-US city in the world where Cruise will commercially operate these vehicles.
These self-driving vehicles are expected to significantly improve road safety levels, as over 90 per cent of accidents are due to human errors. The vehicles are all-electric, environmentally friendly, and capable of serving a wide range of clients from different community segments, including seniors and people of determination.
The latest update on driverless cars was in December 2023, when His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, went on the first test ride of Cruise autonomous electric vehicle. Tests will continue, and RTA will announce a registration process allowing selected members of the public to use the Cruise ride-hailing app to experience the new mode of transportation.
Flying taxis
Sounds like a scene out of The Jetsons, but yes, Flying Taxis will soon be a reality in Dubai. These sky-high taxis will be able to take off vertically with a maximum speed of 322km/h – an impressive speed given they will be a zero-emission form of transport. It will be able to carry four passengers plus a pilot with a range of 161 kilometers.
HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, confirmed models of aerial taxi stations developed by the RTA. The initial launch will connect four main areas of Dubai: Downtown Dubai (Burj Khalifa area), Dubai Marina, Dubai International Airport, and Palm Jumeirah. In February 2025, RTA displayed a prototype at the futuristic Museum of the Future.
According to the Dubai Ruler, the emirate will commence its aerial taxi service in the first quarter of 2026.
Read more here.
Ras Al Khaimah: Dubai isn’t the only cities exploring this new air mobility, as Ras Al Khaimah has also just confirmed its plans to introduce air transport to the emirate by 2027. We’ve been told the flying taxis from Al Marjan Island to Jebel Jais in RAK will take just 20 minutes. Read more here.
And in Abu Dhabi: Flying taxis will see their first test flights taking off in the coming months. Archer, the US-based eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) manufacturer, has confirmed plans to launch its Midnight aircraft in the capital in 2025, in partnership with Abu Dhabi Aviation (ADA). The goal? To get passengers in the air before the end of 2025, cutting long commutes down to just minutes. Here’s all you need to know about flying taxis. Read more here.
Driverless pod rail system
At Gitex Global 2024, Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) has unveiled plans for another new way to get around town that could see us saying goodbye to sitting in Sheikh Zayed Road traffic. The Floc Duo Rail is a self-driving, futuristic-looking electric pod rail system, and could become a hassle-free way to travel around Dubai.
It will be able to operate both suspended in the air and on the ground and could help passengers get either from A to B, or be used to take multiple passengers from certain points to other transport networks, such as the Dubai Metro. Read more here.
Sky Pods
These dangling cable car-looking contraptions are more correctly titled “Suspended Transport Systems”. HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Defense of the UAE, approved the 65km long network as part of Dubai’s Smart Mobility Strategy.
The service will connect Umm Suqeim Street, Al Khor, and Zabeel. Manufacturers claim it can reach speeds of up to 150kph and because they’re group transit and solar-powered, they can be five times as energy efficient as current-gen electric vehicles. Read more here.
Electric abra
In May 2023, Dubai’s RTA announced that it had begun trial operations of the ‘First Autonomous Electric Abra’. According to HE Mattar Al Tayer, Director General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, the aim of launching the electric abra is to ‘convert 25 per cent of the total mobility journeys in Dubai into self-driving journeys by 2030′.
The electric abra will have reduced noise and zero carbon emissions and can operate and run fully ‘autonomous procedures independent of the captain’. The abra will be able to detect obstacles in the navigational path and intervene to avoid a crash during the journey and can even notify the control center of deviations from the operating plan. Read more here.
Sharjah
Sky Pods
View this post on Instagram
Sharjah’s high-speed electric sky pods will not only transport passengers between the emirates but also cargo at speeds of up to 100kmph.
The Sky Pods are a hanging transport system made up of individual unicars connected by a long cable suspended above the ground.
Tests are being conducted at the Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park (SRTIP). After successful testing, Sharjah will announce the construction of its routes within Sharjah city with plans for the pods to connect with other emirates to follow.
Hyperloop
The journey from Dubai to Abu Dhabi can take up to two hours by road. With the arrival of the Hyperloop though, passengers can travel between Abu Dhabi and Dubai in just 12 minutes.
The train can reach speeds of up to 1,000 km per hour which is three times faster than high-speed rail and more than 10 times faster than traditional rail. An animated video shared by Virgin Hyperloop in January 2022 shows exactly what it will be like to ride the super-fast transport. Read more here.
Not much has since been announced about this project, and we are unsure if the project is shelved; however, plans to develop the passenger line in Italy (by 2029) may get the interest going again.
Images: Social/Supplied
