Miral and Etihad Rail have agreed to partner on first-and-last-mile transport to connect Yas Island, Abu Dhabi's leisure and entertainment hub, with the city's railway station.
The service will increase connectivity between Yas Island's theme parks and Etihad Rail's Mohamed bin Zayed City station in Abu Dhabi. Ferrari World, Yas Waterworld, Warner Bros World and SeaWorld are among the attractions operated by Miral, the company behind Yas Island, that are set to be connected by the free shuttle bus network.
The key priority is to make the journey “as seamless as possible”, Miral said.
“Our collaboration with Etihad Rail represents an important step towards creating a more integrated journey, connecting rail travel with the Yas Express network to enhance accessibility and convenience for our guests,” said Lisa Goswell, senior vice president of sales at Miral Destinations.
“Together, we are helping to advance the UAE’s vision for smarter, more sustainable mobility while supporting the continued growth of the tourism sector.”
The deal will add to the list of shuttle services operating to and from the station. Yas Express operates its fleet of shuttles around the city to bring tourists to theme parks, even extending to Dubai and the Northern Emirates.
The Yas Express ER1 route currently connects the Abu Dhabi station with Yas Mall, picking up and dropping off passengers at the mall's north entrance. The free shuttle leaves the station at 7.40am, 1.05pm and 7.35pm, and the journey takes 30 minutes. The return shuttle leaves Yas Mall at 12.15pm and 4.15pm and takes 45 minutes.
Etihad Rail has increased its first-mile and last-mile offerings since the passenger service between Abu Dhabi and Fujairah started on June 30.
“We are focused on making passenger rail a practical and convenient part of how people move across the country,” said Adhraa Almansoori, executive director of commercial and support at Etihad Rail Mobility.
For those heading towards central Abu Dhabi, AD Mobility has introduced two dedicated routes, MR1 and MR2, connecting the rail station with major bus hubs in the capital.
MR1 links Mohamed bin Zayed City Station with Abu Dhabi's Main Bus Station, while MR2 connects it with Al Zahiyah Bus Station, in both directions. MR1's stops serve Al Jazeera Club, Al Mushrif Mall and Al Rawdah interchange, while MR2 connects through Al Rawdah and Mazyad Bus Interchange before reaching Al Zahiyah.
Etihad Rail also operates shuttles to Reem Mall, Adnec and Adnoc HQ for Dh10 per journey, in addition to the train fare.