New Etihad Rail uniforms inspired by the aviation industry

Etihad Rail has unveiled its new uniforms. The railway company from Abu Dhabi has long been known for freight transport but is now preparing to launch passenger services. The first passenger routes are expected to connect Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Fujairah. In this article, you can see what the new uniforms look like and how the company appears to have taken inspiration from the aviation industry.

Etihad Rail uniforms for passenger services

The new uniforms will be worn by onboard hosts and hostesses, station teams and employees in customer facing roles. According to the company, the collection reflects Etihad Rail’s core values, with professionalism, warmth, safety and modern Emirati hospitality at its heart.

With its shades of grey, Etihad Rail aims to convey trust, calmness and reliability. The red accents are intended to reflect bold energy and ambition.

Etihad Rail locomotive driver uniforms

Although the passenger uniform collection is new, railway staff have worn uniforms for many years. Older photographs show locomotive drivers wearing a black suit with light grey pinstripes, double breasted buttons, a black tie and a white shirt.

The company later introduced a light grey suit with the same double breasted buttons and sleeve stripes. This time, however, the stripes were black and red instead of grey. The white shirt remained part of the uniform, but the company replaced the black tie with a red one to create a more cohesive look.

Comfort remains essential in the desert climate

The new uniforms clearly show that Etihad Rail is investing in its corporate image. The stripes on the sleeves also appear to indicate rank or job function. For example, the locomotive driver’s uniform features three black stripes and one red stripe. Other photographs show employees wearing one black and one red stripe, while others wear no stripes at all. Etihad Rail has not explained what these markings mean, but they appear to reflect an employee’s role or level of responsibility. The aviation industry often uses a similar system.

Another notable feature is that female employees can choose whether or not to wear a headscarf. In this respect, Etihad Rail, whose management is still largely male, gives women the freedom to decide. The company already took the same approach during the construction of the railway, where women also worked on the project.

Now the only hope is that the trains, stations and workplaces are properly air conditioned. Although the uniforms look professional, summer temperatures in Abu Dhabi regularly exceed 40°C. In the end, comfort is just as important as appearance.

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Also check: Eurostar gets a new uniform⁠

Kind regards,

Aileen