Hafit Rail launches trial run in late 2027, a land corridor linking Sohar with the UAE to avoid Hormuz bottlenecks

Omani Transport Minister Saeed Al-Ma'ooli confirmed that the Hafit Rail project will begin the trial-run phase in the fourth quarter of 2027. The joint venture, which brings together the UAE's Union Rail, Oman Rail of the Asyad Group, and Mabadala Investment, represents an advanced step to link the UAE rail network with the free zone at Sohar Port in north-eastern Oman. Construction work is now accelerating along the Sohar, Buraimi and Wadi Al-Jizi routes inside Omani territory, as well as implementation works in the Emirati city of Al Ain, after the company announced in April that it had completed 40 percent of the overall network, valued at $3 billion.

The construction corridor stretches 238 kilometres and is designed for both freight and passenger transport, making it a major logistics hub that connects industrial centres in the two countries. The region’s geography poses significant field challenges, as the line crosses residential and industrial areas as well as mountain ranges and deep valleys, requiring extensive excavation and earth-moving works. The engineering design includes two tunnels, each two and a half kilometres long, and the construction of 36 bridges along the route. The project’s initial core was launched in 2022 under the name Oman-UAE Rail, before being rebranded as Hafit Rail.Integration of rail lines and industrial zonesPlaces the project at the heart of the shared Gulf land-transport system

This link is gaining increasing strategic importance in the context of regional supply-chain security, especially after the Iranian war effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz and disrupted global energy and goods flows. The maritime closure accelerated the shift toward land alternatives, which was confirmed by Dubai Media Office data that recorded a sharp rise in trade volume through the Hatta customs gateway in the first half of 2026, positioning it as the primary land gateway for goods and passenger movement between the UAE and Oman after navigation in the strait halted.

This on-ground shift is reshaping operating plans for logistics companies and supply-chain managers across the Gulf and its surroundings. Connecting the UAE network to Sohar Port gives firms a direct route to the open ocean without relying on maritime bottlenecks, readjusting shipping schedules, costs and commercial transport risks. If you manage operations or supply chains, thenRearranging transport channels by relying on rail linesIt has become a priority for protecting inventory, reducing maritime-strait volatility, and securing regional trade flows.