Etihad Rail confirms a flexible pricing system is behind the increase, with off-peak journeys still starting from Dh39. The company has also added 2,000 extra seats across six new weekend trips to meet demand
Abu Dhabi: Etihad Rail has affirmed that the increase in ticket prices for some of its trips between Abu Dhabi and Dubai by Dh10 for the Comfort Class and Dh20 for the Premium Class, is due to increased demand and the application of the flexible pricing system, noting that ticket prices are directly affected by the volume of demand, peak times, and the availability of seats.
The company’s online booking platform showed that tickets for some passenger flights, departing from Mohammed Bin Zayed City station in Abu Dhabi to Al Yalayis station in Dubai, increased in price from Dh39 to Dh49 for Comfort Class, and from Dh109 to Dh129 for the Premium Class.
In response to inquiries regarding the reason for this increase, Etihad Rail stated that ticket prices for passenger train journeys from Abu Dhabi to Dubai start from Dh39 for Comfort Class and Dh109 for Premium Class. It explained that it applies a flexible pricing system to passenger journeys, noting that ticket prices for some journeys between Abu Dhabi (Mohammed Bin Zayed City) and Al Yalayis stations in Dubai have increased from Dh39 to Dh49 for Comfort Class and from Dh109 to Dh129 for Premium Class due to high demand.
The company explained that ticket prices are directly affected by the volume of demand, peak times, and the availability of seats on board flights, with the aim of regulating the flow of passengers and encouraging advance bookings, in order to meet the exceptionally increasing demand that the national railway network has witnessed since its launch.
Etihad Rail confirmed that off-peak journeys maintain their discounted base fare of Dh39, providing flexible and economical options for passengers. It urged customers to plan ahead and book early via the official website or smart app to ensure they get the best available prices and avoid peak travel times.
Etihad Rail officially launched its passenger service from Dubai last Wednesday, with the first trips departing from Al Yalayis station towards Abu Dhabi, providing a modern, safe and reliable means of transportation, as part of the gradual expansion plan for the passenger train network that began with the Abu Dhabi-Fujairah line on June 30.
Etihad Rail’s journeys to Dubai (Al Yalayis station) witnessed a large turnout, especially during the weekend, as most of the journeys departing from Abu Dhabi displayed the phrase “full capacity,” indicating the increasing demand from travellers, especially on Saturday journeys.
According to the company, the daily schedule used to include 10 trips between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, but in response to the exceptional early demand for trains, the company finally launched six additional train trips between Abu Dhabi and Dubai during the weekend.
It stated that it had provided more than 1,000 additional seats spread across three new journeys on Saturday, October 3, in addition to another 1,000 seats across three new journeys on Sunday, October 4.
The company confirmed that the service is witnessing increasing demand, coinciding with a rise in the frequency of its use on a regular basis, reflecting the reliance of a growing segment of travellers on it for their frequent travels.
Tickets for the Dubai-Abu Dhabi route were launched starting from Dh39 in the Comfort Class category, while the ticket price in the Premium Class is Dh109. The journey between the two cities takes approximately 60 minutes, with the train’s maximum speed being 200 kilometres per hour.
Source: Emirates 24|7