[1] The rail is named after Jebel Hafeet which lies on the border of the United Arab Emirates and Oman.
The founding of the joint venture was initially announced in 2022 as the Oman-Etihad Rail Company.
[2][3] On April 23, 2024, the company announced it would be rebranding as Hafeet Rail and had secured shareholder agreement to proceed with construction, including the signing of a $1.5 billion contract for designing and constructing the railway.
The new railway will extend for 303 km and the cost of the project is estimated at US$3 billion.
[6] Trains will travel at a speed of up to 200 km/h and will have a capacity for up to 400 passengers,[7] covering the distance from Abu Dhabi to Sohar in 100 minutes.