Etihad Rail passengers can now rent cars in a price range of 80 to 200 dirhams per day. This service is provided without requiring a deposit and includes fuel, as well as a standard mileage limit of 60 kilometers. The service operates at stations in Abu Dhabi and Fujairah.
The service, named Rail to Road, is offered through Thrifty Car Rental's Flexy product and is intended for passengers who require transportation after arriving at their destination.
Amit Kumar, General Manager of Thrifty Car Rental, told Khaleej Times that passengers no longer need to worry about providing a security deposit or refueling the car before returning it.
All packages include pre-paid fuel and 60 km of mileage; additional mileage can be purchased for an extra fee. An introductory offer is currently available for regular Etihad Rail passengers, although Thrifty has not provided details on this promotion.
The rental period is set for 24 hours, rather than being directly tied to the train's arrival or departure time. According to Thrifty, this provides flexibility for passengers in case of schedule changes.
There are three initial rental categories: Essential, which includes hatchbacks and small sedans such as the Toyota Yaris, Baleno, and Hyundai Accent; Comfort, offering larger sedans and compact SUVs, including the Mazda CX-3, Hyundai Creta, and Mazda 6; and Stretch, designed for larger and premium vehicles such as the Audi A3, Mazda CX-90, Jeep Cherokee, Nissan Patrol, and Jeep Wrangler.
According to Thrifty, no rental deposit needs to be paid; instead, payment cards are tokenized for transaction processing.
Furthermore, there is no minimum advance booking period. Travelers can reserve transport before the trip, book it upon arrival at the station, or rent it spontaneously.
Kumar emphasized that there is no minimum time limit for booking cars, and customers can order in advance or directly at the station, and there is a sufficient number of vehicles for customers arriving without prior reservation.
The main purpose of the service is to serve passengers who pick up a car at the arrival station, use it for further travel, and return it to the same station. However, customers can arrange the rental and return the car at another Thrifty service point, although Kumar noted that most customers return the cars specifically at the rental station. Thrifty allows users to return the car at any point in its extensive network at a nominal one-way rental rate.
Car rental is already integrated into the Etihad Rail ticket booking process. Kumar reported that after purchasing a train ticket, passengers are offered the option to rent a car. He added that this entire process is undergoing further improvements aimed at increasing its visibility and simplicity for customers.
The Rail to Road project is part of an exclusive five-year partnership between Etihad Rail and Thrifty. The goal of this collaboration is to provide first and last-mile transport directly from the stations for passengers. As part of this partnership, Thrifty plans to invest over 10 million dirhams over five years in expanding its fleet, digital infrastructure, and improving customer experience. The initial fleet is planned to consist of about 500 vehicles, with the possibility of increasing this number as passenger demand grows and the railway network develops.
The partnership also includes the placement of digital kiosks and physical consultation desks at 11 Etihad Rail stations, in addition to the ability to book through the digital platforms of Etihad Rail and Thrifty. Kumar specified that the initial investments will focus on self-service features and the digital booking process, alongside increasing the number of vehicles according to needs.


