DUBAI: Etihad Rail, the UAE’s national rail network, will not only further improve the transportation sector but also give a boost to the country’s real estate sector, according to analysts. According to Zoom Property Insights, the 1200-kilometer project will bridge the gap between the seven emirates and ease UAE residents’ commutes. The project, which will connect 11 major cities of the seven emirates,is expected to carry more than 60 million tons of freight and 36.5 million passengers, the statement added. It will take passengers 50 minutes to travel from Abu Dhabi to Dubai, and 100 minutes to travel from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah. Etihad Rail will have multiple benefits for the country, according to Ata Shobeiry, CEO of Zoom Property. “Communities and neighborhoods located close to the Etihad Rail stations will record a price hike,” he added. It was recently announced that Etihad Rail’s first passenger train station will be constructed in Fujairah and that it will connect 11 regions across the UAE once it is completed. Influx of Chinese tourists Tourism analysts expect Chinese tourists to return to the UAE within six to 12 months, UAE’s local media reported. As a result of China’s zero-COVID-19 policy, the expected surge in visitor numbers to Dubai, which reached nearly a million in 2019, is on hold.