Etihad Rail continues to reiterate its drive to innovation

Etihad Rail, the developer and operator of the UAE’s national railway network, continues to reiterate its commitment to innovation at Global Rail 2025, held under the theme “Driving the Future of Transport and Global Connectivity”.

At Global Rail 2025, Etihad Rail announced the launch of the Etihad Rail Innovation Centre (ERIC), the UAE’s first national platform dedicated to mobility innovation. It further announced the winners of the second iteration of the Global Rail Innovation Awards, a Dhs 1 million grant which serves as a global platform to discover and accelerate high-potential innovations in rail, logistics and infrastructure.

Together, these initiatives, alongside other key projects, highlight Etihad Rail’s long-term strategy to position the UAE as a global hub that aims to transform the future of transport and logistics while aligning with national priorities such as the UAE Vision 2031 and the UAE Net Zero 2050 strategy. The Etihad Rail Innovation Centre (ERIC): Driving the next generation of mobility The Etihad Rail Innovation Centre is a major strategic investment designed to accelerate the UAE’s position as a global hub for transport innovation. The ERIC is intended to transform the way people and goods move across the region by fostering cross-functional collaboration between industry, academia, startups, and government.

The launch of the ERIC at Global Rail 2025 further underscores the UAE’s role in driving global mobility transformation and its emerging position as a platform for where ideas are generated, tested and scaled. It will serve as the UAE’s national hub for accelerating innovation in transport and logistics, with a dedicated mission is to identify, validate, and scale new mobility solutions from rail infrastructure and rolling stock to digital systems and intermodal connectivity.

Etihad Rail has already began working on a broad spectrum of innovation projects that will be brought together and scaled through the Etihad Rail Innovation Centre. Some of these projects include piloting robotics to transform inspection processes, testing magnetic rail technologies for energy-efficient travel, and developing homegrown ideas from within Etihad Rail.

The ERIC will support Etihad Rail through project identification, idea acceleration, and commercialisation, while also providing external partners with dedicated spaces to showcase, test, and scale innovations. Startups and researchers will gain access to incubation and acceleration programs, alongside opportunities to enter GCC markets and expand globally. It will also serve as an industry hub for collaboration with government, private sector, universities, and startups, embracing hybrid models that blend internal expertise and promote new joint ventures.

Global Rail Innovation Awards: Shaping the future of transport Following on from the success of its first iteration, Etihad Rail concluded the second Global Rail Innovation Awards at Global Rail 2025. The Awards serve as an international platform to discover and accelerate high-potential innovations in rail, logistics and infrastructure, with an Dhs 1 million grant dedicated to bringing these ideas closer to market.

Ameera Al Khlaifi, Director of Strategy – ER General & Passenger at Etihad Rail said: “The Etihad Rail Innovation Centre (ERIC) will serve as a key driver of sustainable growth and smart mobility across the region. As the first of its kind in the UAE, it will accelerate the development of technologies and solutions that advance efficiency, safety, and sustainability. The Global Rail Innovation Award 2025, inspired by the vision of His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of Etihad Rail, complements this mission. Together, these initiatives embody our commitment to driving innovation in the transport sector. The award provides a global platform to identify and accelerate pioneering solutions that will shape the next generation of rail and logistics, while reinforcing the UAE’s role as a leading destination for innovation in this vital sector.” The competition attracted 242 submissions from across the world, more than triple the entries from last year, providing a unique insight to the next generation of transport. After a rigorous 4 step evaluation process, finalists were invited to showcase their projects during Global Rail 2025, highlighting the international nature of the UAE’s role as a convenor for innovation.

The following winners were recognised for their contribution to efficiency, safety and sustainability: SBS Transit from Singapore, who have leveraged advanced AI to make sign language more accessible on Public Transport.