Arab News, Sunday, May 21, 2023 | Thul-Qidah 1, 1444
Etihad Rail partners with Italian firm Arsenale to launch luxury train service in the UAE
Emirates:
Travelers will have access to a luxury train service in the UAE after national
railway network operator Etihad Rail partnered with Italian hospitality firm
Arsenale Group in a move to boost tourism and showcase the country’s heritage
and scenic attractions.
The firms signed a memorandum of understanding
during the two-day Middle East Rail Exhibition and Conference in Abu Dhabi to
roll out the 15-carriage transit option that will travel throughout the UAE
toward the border with Oman.
The project will see the Italian company
completely refurbishing carriages in specialized factories located in Puglia and
Sicily, Italy.
The UAE will be among the first countries in the
world to have a luxury cruise service with a fully customized train, Arsenale
Group said in a press statement.
“By establishing a luxury train experience, we are
introducing a unique world-class offering to the region and contributing to
boosting the tourism sector in the UAE. Furthermore, we will be able to showcase
the country’s diverse heritage and beauty to visitors from around the world,”
Shadi Malak, CEO of Etihad Rail said..
There are plans to extend the service to the wider
Gulf Cooperation Council region once the railway project becomes
operational.
This is Arsenale’s second project in the region
after it signed an MoU with Saudi Arabia Railways in March to launch the Middle
East’s first luxury train service in the Kingdom.
A part of the project “Dream of the Desert,” the
deal involves bringing a train with 40 luxury cabins on Saudi railways by 2025
that will pass through the country from Riyadh to Qurayyat.
“The railway cruise is the present and the future
of tourism, and Arsenale wants to make it available in the most beautiful places
in the world, introducing this new fascinating and sustainable way of traveling.
This partnership demonstrates that there are no limits to passion and no
barriers that can stop the desire to go beyond the imaginary,” said Paolo
Barletta, CEO of Arsenale.
During the conference, Etihad Rail signed a total
of seven agreements to advance rail passenger and freight development.