Muscat – Trial operations on the Hafeet Rail project linking Oman and the UAE are expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2027, as the sultanate records a sharp increase in port handling and truck movements amid shifts in regional cargo traffic.

H E Saeed bin Hamood Al Mawali, Minister of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, said the 238km railway would connect Suhar with the UAE’s national railway network through Buraimi and Al Ain.

The project is being developed by Hafeet Rail, a joint venture involving Oman Rail, Etihad Rail and Mubadala Investment Company.

Construction is progressing across Suhar, Buraimi, Wadi Al Jizzi and Al Ain. Hafeet Rail said in April that the project had reached 40% completion, with track installation subsequently beginning.

The route includes around 2.5km of tunnels, alongside bridges, viaducts, underpasses and other structures.

Passenger trains will be designed to travel at speeds of up to 200km per hour, while freight services will connect Suhar’s port and industrial infrastructure directly with the UAE rail network.

Omani ports see record growth

Speaking on the sidelines of a dialogue session organised by  Oman Economic Association on Tuesday, H E Al Mawali also highlighted changes in regional cargo flows, saying recent developments had resulted in part of the traffic shifting towards Omani ports and other facilities in the region.

He said the combined annual capacity of Gulf ports stretching from Ras Al Khaimah to Iraq stood at around 23mn containers, compared to about 18mn containers at ports in the Red Sea region.

The minister said Oman had invested significantly in ports, roads and other infrastructure while maintaining high global standards in road quality.

He highlighted the Port of Salalah for its operational efficiency and pointed to Oman’s infrastructure and geographical advantages.

Truck movements had also risen sharply, with the monthly increase reaching around 100,000 trucks or more, according to H E Al Mawali.

More than half of the additional traffic was attributed to Omani trucks and transport companies.

Port handling activity had meanwhile recorded increases ranging from around 27% to as much as 430%, reflecting changing cargo movements across the region.

The developments place the Hafeet Rail project alongside Oman’s ports and road network as part of a broader transport system connecting industrial and logistics centres with regional markets.