The General Railway Agreement for a network of about 2,100 km linking all six Gulf states, from Kuwait to Oman, is due to be signed in Manama on Sunday. The full network is targeted to be operational by December 2030.
Speaking to The National, Bahrain's Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, Sheikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, said GCC transport ministers are expected to sign the General Railway Agreement at their meeting in Manama on Sunday 8 November. He called it the most important agreement reached at GCC level for the project.
The network of about 2,100 km will link all six member states, from Kuwait in the north to Oman in the south, and will carry both passengers and freight. According to an analysis cited by Arabian Business, passenger trains are planned to run at up to 200 km/h and freight trains at 80 to 120 km/h. The full regional network is targeted to be operational by December 2030, and cross border links between neighbouring states could open earlier as they are completed. The GCC Railways Authority, based in Riyadh, is working with member states to unify technical specifications.
The UAE has already launched its national passenger rail network, and the 238 km Hafeet Rail line linking Oman and the UAE, from Sohar through Al Buraimi and Al Ain to Abu Dhabi, is expected to begin trial operations in 2027. The minister described transport as the lifeline of any economy.
By joining ports, industrial hubs and markets in one land corridor, the agreement is expected to support regional trade, tourism and investment in logistics.
Source: The National
