Etihad Rail Could Completely Transform Sharjah

 Etihad Rail Could Completely Transform Sharjah

As the launch of Etihad Rail's passenger service approaches, Sharjah is on the brink of a historic transformation. This emirate, home to 1.8 million people, is poised to spark a new wave of development in education, transportation, real estate, and other sectors through its strategic positioning as a railway hub. As transportation experts states that, the railway passenger station adjacent to the University City and the international airport will become the main engine igniting Sharjah's development fire.

As a major center for higher education in the UAE, Sharjah's University City area hosts over 40 academic institutions including the University of Sharjah and the American University of Sharjah, forming an educational cluster of 50,000 faculty and students. The planned location of the Etihad Rail Sharjah station is right in this core area, known as the "Middle East's intellectual hub."

"Previously, faculty and students endured an average of 90 minutes of congestion driving along the Dubai-Sharjah main road; rail commuting will reduce one-way travel time to under 30 minutes," said Senthil Nathan, co-founder of Edu Alliance. He cited research from the UK's Midlands Connect: after cities like Nottingham and Leicester optimized their education corridors via rail, university enrollment increased by 12%, and inter-university research collaborations rose by 27%. This effect is emerging in Sharjah — the railway brings not only time efficiency but also breaks down geographic barriers between University City and industrial parks through a seamless transportation network.

Abdul Wahab, Vice President of the American University of Sharjah, stated, "Rail transit will attract more international scholars to settle in Sharjah. We plan to increase the proportion of foreign professors from 35% to 50% over the next five years." Convenient commuting conditions have also led to a 40% surge in enrollment for Sharjah University's "Inter-Emirate Dual Degree Program."

With Dubai's population nearing 4 million, the E11 highway connecting the two cities sees a daily traffic volume of 420,000 vehicles, and the morning peak congestion index has exceeded 85 (out of 100). The addition of Etihad Rail will create a three-dimensional transportation network of "rail + metro + bus."