Photo: Saudi Arabia Railways freight train near Dhahran / Wikimedia Commons
Gulf states have agreed how their long-delayed shared railway will be built and run. The longest piece of it, in Saudi Arabia, has yet to be tendered for construction.
GCC transport ministers signed the General Agreement for the GCC Railway Project at Riffa Al Zahir Palace in Bahrain on Sunday, in the presence of Bahrain's Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
The 2,117 km network is 55.92% complete and is targeted for full operations in December 2030, according to the GCC Railways Authority.
What the agreement does
It sets each member's responsibilities and a timetable, along with shared technical, safety and operating standards, so six national railways can work as one network.
GCC Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi said it would help create an integrated regional rail system and ease travel between member states.
The Saudi stretch
Saudi Arabia's section runs 672 km from the Kuwaiti border to the UAE border through Dammam. It's the longest national segment, and without it the northern and southern ends of the network can't connect.
Saudi Arabia Railways has tendered the design consultancy for the section. Construction tenders follow once the design is complete.
Who pays
Each member state funds the line on its own territory, and can bring in private companies to build, run or invest in it.
A long wait
Gulf leaders first approved the railway in 2009, with a 2018 deadline. It stalled for most of the decade that followed, and only regained momentum after diplomatic ties were restored in 2021.
Why it matters
With design still under way and four years to the 2030 target, the kingdom's construction packages, from track and signalling to stations and freight terminals, will have to be tendered quickly.
Bahrain's link
Bahrain's connection depends on the planned King Hamad Causeway, a 57 km bridge with four road lanes and two rail tracks between Bahrain and Dammam.
