Etihad Rail has launched a nationwide awareness campaign aimed at encouraging businesses to move long-haul freight from road to rail, as growing industrial activity increases pressure on the UAE’s transport network.
The campaign targets logistics providers, manufacturers and heavy industries, highlighting rail freight as an operational option already in use across the country. It comes at a time when expanding industrial and logistics sectors are adding strain to road capacity, delivery schedules and transport costs.
Etihad Rail’s network spans nearly 900 kilometres and links key ports, industrial zones and logistics hubs across the UAE. The company says rail allows bulk and high-volume cargo to move on fixed schedules using dedicated corridors.
Network capacity
According to Etihad Rail, a single freight train can transport loads equivalent to up to 300 heavy trucks. The company says this helps reduce congestion on major road corridors and improves delivery predictability for manufacturers working to tight timelines.
Omar Alsebeyi, Acting CEO at Etihad Rail Freight, said: “For heavy industry, logistics is no longer just about speed, it’s also increasingly about certainty. Delays, congestion and volatility carry real costs. Rail addresses those challenges at their root by offering scale, reliability and predictability, day in and day out.”
Role of road transport
Etihad Rail stressed that the campaign is not intended to replace road freight but to rebalance how freight moves across the country, particularly for long-distance and bulk transport.
“Road freight remains essential, particularly for last-mile delivery,” Alsebeyi said. “What rail does is remove long-haul and bulk movements from roads to help with easing congestion, and therefore, freeing trucks to operate where they are most effective. It’s about making the entire system work better.”
Industry outreach
The campaign will run across trade media, industry forums and digital platforms. It will include case studies showing how rail freight is being used in sectors such as construction materials, petrochemicals, metals and containerised cargo.
Etihad Rail said the initiative aligns with national efforts to strengthen supply chain resilience, support industrial competitiveness and prepare logistics infrastructure for rising trade volumes.
“The UAE has invested in a national rail network designed to support growth for decades, not quarters,” Alsebeyi said. “This campaign is about ensuring industry fully benefits from that investment. Rail freight is operational, reliable and ready to scale. Now is the time to use it and benefit from it.”
As industrial output continues to grow, the company said wider use of rail freight could help businesses manage long-term costs and reduce pressure on the country’s road network.
