Etihad Rail awards AED 3 billion contract to build railway first route

Etihad Rail, a government owned firm developing the United Arab Emirates first national railway network awarded a consortium comprising Italy's Saipem SpA, Tecnimont SpA and UAE based Dodsal Engineering and Construction AED 3.3 billion contract to build the railway's first route.

The civil and track works contract includes the design, procurement and construction of 266 kilometer rail line that will link the cities of Habshan and Ruwais in Abu Dhabi's western region by 2013 and to Shah and Habshan, also in the emirate in 2014.
The AED 40 billion Etihad Rail project will link cities across the UAE in a 1,200 kilometer network and connect the UAE to Saudi Arabia as part of a broader Gulf rail network.