When the UAE's high-speed Etihad Rail's passenger service rolls out at 5.34 am on June 30, one of the captains would be a 29-year-old from India. Nishad, who hails from Kerala's Alappuzha, is a Train Drivers Line Manager in the rail project.
Ibrahim Al Hammadi and Sara Al Mazrouei became the UAE's first national train captains for Etihad Rail in February. Nishad, who will join their ranks, will be the first Indian to achieve the feat.
Nishad reportedly landed in the UAE in 2014 and worked various jobs since then, including as cashier, cook, perfume seller, and even home delivery partner. In 2017, he joined the Palm Jumeirah Monorail. He had also briefly worked at Dubai Tram and Dubai Metro. He then enrolled as Operations Team Leader at Zayed International Airport in 2023. Later he was promoted as Senior Team Leader.
He tried to join Etihad Rail in 2020, but a minor error in his email address stopped him from achieving his dream. He attempted once again in 2022, this time clearing all tests and interviews.
Nishad's brother Rinshad is also employed with Etihad Rail as a loco pilot for its freight trains.
Around 10 million passengers are expected to travel on Etihad Rail annually. Passengers can book tickets up to four weeks in advance. Each passenger is allocated a specific seat and they get free wi-fi and dedicated power sockets to charge phones and laptops.
Other amenities aboard the train include fold-out tables, overhead luggage racks, dedicated storage for larger baggage and extra legroom. Up to 400 passengers can commute on each train once the full network becomes operational.
The first service on Tuesday will travel from Fujairah to Abu Dhabi's Mohammed Bin Zayed City station. With a speed of up to 200 kmph, the journey would be completed in one hour and 45 minutes. Dubai and Al Dhaid services will be rolled on September 30 while Al Dhafra will be launched on December 30 and and Sharjah on March 30, 2027.
