Passenger train services will launch in the UAE next week, a milestone in a years-long push to connect the emirates and part of a wider regional ambition to link the Gulf countries by rail.

Driverless cars and flying taxis may still be on the agenda, but the new 55 dirham ($15) route from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah — cutting about 40 minutes of drive time — has long been anticipated by road-weary residents.

The route adds to the stalled GCC Railway, a 2,200-kilometer network due to be completed by 2030. Gulf leaders are betting on rail to move tourists and business travelers between hubs: A high-speed Abu Dhabi-Dubai line is projected to add almost $40 billion to the economy over 50 years, according to government figures, while a Doha-Riyadh airport connection (announced before the Iran war) aims to ferry 10 million passengers annually, starting in 2031.