New £2.3billion train route to connect two winter sun routes loved by Brits for the first time
TWO winter sun routes loved by Brits will be connected for the first time ever via a new £2.3billion train route.
Holidays to the Middle East have become more popular among sun chasers and these trips are about to become even easier for travellers.
Oman and Abu Dhabi have become fan favourites among British tourists looking to escape the winter cold and rain.
These spots typically reach temperature highs of around 25 degrees in December and are around a seven-hour flight away from the UK.
Visiting the two Gulf nations will become even easier as a train line will be built linking Sohar Port, in northern Oman, to the UAE National Rail Network.
This train, built by Etihad Rail and Oman Rail, will also stop at the inland oasis city of Al Ain, in the UAE.
Al Ain, situated next to the border with Oman, is known for its natural springs and palm groves, despite being in the middle of the desert.
Tourists will therefore have the opportunity to easily visit three locations on one trip to the Middle East.
Visitors will be able to experience beaches and city life in Abu Dhabi, unique desert lands in Al Ain, and Gulf waters in Sohar Port.
Etihad Rail, the developer and operator of the UAE national railway network, signed an agreement to establish the Oman and Etihad Rail Company.
This will be a joint venture co-owned by the two oil-rich nations.
This 188-mile-long line will take just an hour and 40 minutes to get between the two spots.
Both passenger trains and freight trains will run on the line.
Visitors will be able to quickly cross the border and see a second country on their travels as this train will reach speeds of 124mph.
The track is part of a wider initiative to connect Oman and the United Arab Emirates.
The CEO of Etihad Rail, Shadi Malak, described the train line as a “new chapter of collaboration and prosperity between both countries.”
A completion date for the project has not been announced.
CHRISTMAS SUN
Abu Dhabi has not been the only part of the UAE to pull in British tourists looking to escape the grey winter months at home.
Dubai has become an unlikely festive hotspot in recent years, The Sun has previously reported.
Some tourists have replaced weekend trips to European Christmas markets with beach visits.
Despite this, Dubai’s Souk Madinat Jumeirah hosts an annual Christmas Market in the hot Middle Eastern weather.