Etihad Rail’s Abu Dhabi-Dubai passenger trains will rework UAE, says eco-traveller

Newest: Center East megaprojects to usher in new period of public transport

The Dutch eco-traveller who travelled to Dubai from Amsterdam on public transport stated there’s an rising development of individuals in search of alternate options to planes for journey.

Wiebe Wakker, 35, who delivered a speech on the Worldwide Affiliation of Public Transport regional congress in Dubai on Sunday, travelled to the UAE by rail, bus, and automobile to focus on sustainability points.

Mr Wakker used the platform to induce extra folks to think about alternate options to travelling by aircraft.

“Individuals wish to ditch the aircraft as extra have gotten considering taking trains and different types of public transport,” Mr Wakker stated.

“If you happen to journey by aircraft it adjustments your day; when you journey by prepare it adjustments your life.

“It’s vital to reside a life with a low-carbon footprint.”

He praised Etihad Rail’s passenger prepare undertaking that can transport passengers throughout the Emirates, and finally join with different international locations within the area.

“It’s nice information for everybody as it is going to join folks in international locations all throughout the GCC,” stated Mr Wakker.

“It is going to additionally scale back the necessity for folks to make use of vehicles, which is, in flip, excellent news for sustainability.”

The Dutchman made headlines in 2019 when he accomplished a 100,000-kilometre journey from his residence nation to New Zealand, making the whole three-year journey in his electrical automobile.

He was initially invited to talk on the Dutch pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai on the again of his globetrotting exploits and determined to make an identical eco-journey from the Netherlands to the Emirates.

The occasion at Expo was cancelled on the final minute because of the rise in Covid-19 circumstances led to by the Omicron variant, however he did get to talk on the World Future Power Summit, as a part of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week.

“It didn’t make sense to take a aircraft to journey midway all over the world to speak in regards to the worth of sustainable journey,” he stated.

“I couldn’t take my automobile once more as a result of it’s now a museum piece after the primary journey.

“The one logical choice was to take the prepare.”

Nonetheless, his plan to finish the journey utilizing public floor transport alone was hit by issues on the Iranian border, which was closed on the time to all however cargo transport.

Mr Wakker was compelled to rethink his plan and took a flight from Erbil to Amman as an alternative.

He accomplished his journey to Abu Dhabi by taking a 856-km bus journey from Amman to Hail, following by a prepare from Hail to Riyadh. The ultimate leg was a 906-km bus journey to the UAE capital.

Regardless of the flight, his carbon dioxide footprint was 60 per cent lower than travelling direct from Amsterdam to Dubai.

He stated the choice to journey largely by land was the most effective he has ever made.

“I wasn’t certain as a result of I believed it is perhaps boring sitting on a prepare for days on finish,” he stated.

“I used to be unsuitable as a result of it was an incredible expertise to see the adjustments within the surroundings.

“I went from travelling by means of massive cities within the Netherlands and Germany to going by means of snow in Austria after which being within the desert. It was surreal to do all that in a single journey — it by no means would have occurred if I simply took a aircraft.”

Mr Wakker was grateful to have the ability to deal with the viewers on the convention, particularly due to the challenges he had confronted alongside the way in which.

“I used to be actually unhappy once I obtained the decision the occasion at Expo was cancelled as a result of that’s why I used to be travelling,” he stated.

“I used to be delighted that my story had been seen by the organisers of the transport congress who invited me to talk on the occasion right now.”

Etihad Rail builds Abu Dhabi-Dubai observe: in photos

Railroad employees making ready tracks at a depot in January 2022. There was speedy progress on a brand new line that can finally carry passengers. All images: Victor Besa / The Nationwide

Up to date: February 08, 2022, 3:59 AM