As Etihad Rail prepares to launch passenger services later this year, planners and transport experts say the success of the network may depend on how easily passengers can reach the stations.
Known as the first and last mile of transport, this is set to play a crucial role in determining how embedded the service can become in everyday life, particularly in a country where car use is dominant and summer temperatures hit 50°C.
If stations are hard to reach or have connection challenges, reliance on cars could continue, they say.
“For most people, the journey is never ‘station-to-station’ but ‘door-to-door’,” said Dr Simona Azzali, associate professor of architecture at Canadian University Dubai and an expert in urban mobility.
“So, even a high-quality rail service can feel inconvenient if the first and last mile are slow, unclear or uncomfortable.”
While a precise launch date has not been revealed, Etihad Rail last week said the first routes will connect Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Fujairah on the country’s east
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