National Railway system will connect the entire Emirates

At present, the transportation costs in the region are among the highest in the world. National railway network would improve road safety and alleviate traffic congestion in the region.

National railway system, that will span the seven emirates, will also connect the western region, Al Gharbia, and transform Al Gharbia's "natural, social and economic environments", according to the network's developer.

To boost the local economy, it is decided to built the factory in the western region that would manufacture the 600,000 sleepers for the tracks.

After completion, the railway will serve the whole country via a 1200km safe and cost-efficient rail network.

Initially, The project is divided into three phases.

Phase 1: The first phase of the project, which is scheduled to complete in 2013, will connect the western cities of Habshan and Ruwais, cover 266 kilometers, according to the network operator Etihad Rail.  While in 2014, link from Habshan to Shah will be ready. This network will initially be used for freight purposes, but may later start passenger services.

Walls would be built to protect the trains and the wildlife along the track while "a fully loaded train can replace 300 lorries from the road and produce up to 80 per cent less carbon dioxide emissions than trucks carrying the same tonnage." according to the network's developer.

According to developer, the presence of rivers and wildlife was taken into account, allowing passages underneath the rail every six kilometers of the track,".

In Stage 2, of the project, to be completed in 2015-16, the railway will be extended to Mussaffah in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Dubai and to Ghweifat in the country's western region, which is formally known as Al Gharbia.

Stage 3, which is to be completed in 2016-18, will extend the project to Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah.

After completion, the railway network will be linked to railways in the rest of the GCC. This will connect the UAE to Saudi Arabia via Ghweifat in the west and Oman via Al Ain in the east.