What Hafeet Rail does

Hafeet Rail Company is a sovereign-backed joint venture established in 2022 by Etihad Rail (UAE's national rail operator), Oman Rail (Oman's national rail operator), and Mubadala Investment to build and operate the first cross-border rail network connecting two Gulf states. The 238 km network links Sohar Port in Oman to Abu Dhabi in the UAE, integrating with the UAE National Rail Network and spanning 12 passenger stations, 5 major ports, and 15+ integrated freight facilities across both countries. Core infrastructure includes 2,500 meters of tunnels, 36 viaducts, 21 over-bridges, 39 under-passes, and 881 culverts, built on European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 2 signaling and integrated fiber optics communications, with unified cross-border interoperability standards covering gauge, track, signaling, and communications.

The company operates a dual-service model: a freight rail service with trains running up to 120 km/h and carrying up to 15,000 tonnes or 276 TEU per trip (with planned capacity of 193,200 TEUs annually via its Noatum Logistics partnership), and a passenger rail service with trains reaching 200 km/h, 350–400 seat capacity, and projected transit times of 100 minutes (Sohar–Abu Dhabi) and 47 minutes (Sohar–Al Ain). Freight customers include logistics operators, freight forwarders, port operators, and industrial producers across mining, iron and steel, agriculture, food, retail, e-commerce, and petrochemicals; passenger customers include cross-border travelers and tourism operators.

Revenue mechanics are contract-based: freight capacity is sold via direct B2B agreements with logistics operators (notably a preliminary agreement with Noatum Logistics signed October 2025 for 7 weekly container trains), while passenger services will be distributed via public ticketing across 12 stations. The company is currently in active construction with operations not yet launched, and pricing, contract values, and financial details are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Hafeet Rail

Legal name

Hafeet Rail Company

Website

https://hafeetrail.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Hafeet Rail is a UAE-Oman sovereign-backed joint venture building the first cross-border rail network linking Sohar Port (Oman) to Abu Dhabi (UAE). It operates freight services (up to 15,000 tonnes per trip) and passenger services (up to 200 km/h) connecting 12 stations, 5 ports, and 15+ freight facilities across both countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cross-Border Rail Transport

NAICS

Line-Haul Railroads (482111), Support Activities for Rail Transportation (4882)

SIC

Railroads, Line-Haul Operating (4011), Railroad Switching & Terminal Establishments (4013)

akta.pro primary industry

Intermodal Rail Forwarding (Rail-Truck / Rail-Port Drayage) (TLACADAC)

Keywords

• Cross-border rail transport
• Freight rail services
• Passenger rail services
• Rail infrastructure
• Intermodal logistics

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Hafeet Rail develops and operates a 238 km cross-border railway connecting Sohar Port in Oman to Abu Dhabi in the UAE, providing freight rail services (up to 15,000 tonnes or 276 TEU per trip, 120 km/h) and passenger rail services (up to 200 km/h, 350-400 seats) across 12 stations and 5 major ports. The network uses European Train Control System (ETCS Level 2) signaling and fiber optics communications, with infrastructure comprising 2,500 m of tunnels, 36 viaducts, 21 over-bridges, 39 under-passes, and 881 culverts.

Product overview

Hafeet Rail is a unified cross-border rail network infrastructure project jointly established by Etihad Rail, Oman Rail, and Mubadala Investment Company to build and operate the first rail network connecting two Gulf states. The network provides two core services: a freight rail service for cargo transportation between Sohar and Abu Dhabi (238km route), and a passenger rail service connecting 12+ stations and cities across Oman and the UAE. The freight service offers up to 15,000 tonnes or 276 TEU capacity per trip, while passenger trains reach speeds of 200 km/h with 350-400 seats. The infrastructure includes 2,500 meters of tunnels, 36 viaducts, 21 over-bridges, 39 under-passes, and 881 culverts, utilizing European Signaling System (ETCS Level 2) and fiber optics. The network links 5 major ports and 15+ integrated freight facilities, with planned capacity of 193,200 TEUs annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hafeet Rail Freight Service Cross-border freight rail transport connecting Sohar Port in Oman to Abu Dhabi in the UAE. Freight trains operate at up to 120 km/h with capacity of 15,000 tonnes or 276 TEU per trip, serving logistics operators, freight forwarders, shipping companies, mining, iron and steel, agriculture, retail, e-commerce, and petrochemical sectors.
• Hafeet Rail Passenger Service Cross-border passenger rail service connecting cities across Oman and the UAE via 12 passenger stations. Passenger trains operate at up to 200 km/h with 350-400 seat capacity, serving individual travelers, commuters, and tourism operators seeking fast cross-border travel between UAE and Oman cities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduces carbon footprint compared to road and sea freight by shifting freight to rail
• +4 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Noatum Logistics (AD Ports Group)flagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 25 October 2025Noatum Logistics, a subsidiary of AD Ports Group, signed a preliminary agreement with Hafeet Rail to establish a cross-border freight rail service connecting Sohar in Oman and Abu Dhabi in the UAE. The service will operate seven container trains per week with a capacity of 193,200 TEUs annually, marking the first dedicated freight corridor between UAE and Oman.
• Etihad RailcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEtihad Rail (UAE's national rail operator) co-established Hafeet Rail Company as a joint venture alongside Oman Rail and Mubadala Investment to build and operate the cross-border rail network connecting the UAE and Oman.
• Oman RailcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOman Rail (Oman's national rail operator) co-established Hafeet Rail Company as a joint venture alongside Etihad Rail and Mubadala Investment to build and operate the cross-border rail network connecting Oman and the UAE.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Noatum Logistics: AD Ports Group subsidiary and Hafeet Rail's anchor freight channel partner, providing end-to-end cross-border freight forwarding. While not a direct rail competitor, it is the operating peer for the freight forwarding side of the corridor and a key ecosystem participant.

Direct peers

• Saudi Railway Company (SAR): Saudi Arabia's national rail operator running both freight (including minerals and petrochemicals) and passenger services across long-distance corridors. Highly comparable as a state-backed GCC national rail operator with similar freight mix and cross-border ambitions.
• Etihad Rail: UAE's national rail operator and a founding JV parent of Hafeet Rail. Operates the UAE National Rail Network with both freight and passenger services using comparable signaling and rolling stock — the most directly comparable peer in the region.
• Oman Rail: Oman's national rail developer and a founding JV parent of Hafeet Rail. Building the Omani leg of the cross-border network with comparable scope (freight corridors, passenger stations, port intermodal links), making it a like-for-like operational and engineering peer.

Broad incumbents

• AD Ports Group: Parent of Noatum Logistics (Hafeet Rail's anchor freight partner). Operates a broad portfolio of ports, terminals, logistics and digital services across the region, giving it overlapping capability in cross-border freight and port-rail intermodal — a broader incumbent rather than a direct competitor.
• DP World: Global ports and logistics operator with significant GCC footprint (Jebel Ali, etc.) and integrated supply-chain solutions. Comparable as a broad incumbent providing multimodal freight between UAE, Oman and global markets — overlapping capability but a wider portfolio than Hafeet Rail's specialized rail focus.

Regional players

• Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ): National rail operator of Kazakhstan operating extensive cross-border freight corridors (Trans-Caspian, China-Europe). Comparable as a state-backed national rail operator monetizing cross-border freight between two sovereign markets — though geographically distinct, the cross-border rail business model is highly relevant.

Emerging players

• GCC Railway Authority: Planned unified GCC-wide rail network linking all six member states. While not yet operational, it represents the strategic long-term competitive context for Hafeet Rail and could expand or compete with the UAE-Oman corridor once built.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hafeetrail
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hafeet-rail

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hafeet Rail