MANAMA, Bahrain / AsiaWire.IO / – Gulf Cooperation Council states signed the General Agreement for the GCC Railway Project in Bahrain on Sunday, as the regional network reached 55.9% completion. The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the 31st meeting of the GCC Ministerial Committee on Transport and Communications. Bahrain’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, attended the ceremony. GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi and transport ministers from member states also took part.
Albudaiwi said the agreement marks an important step in strengthening Gulf integration in transport and regulating railway services across member states. It supports a project linking all six countries as a single, integrated and interoperable regional network, he said. He thanked GCC leaders for backing joint Gulf action and strategic projects. He also commended the national teams and the Gulf Railway Authority working to complete the project.
The agreement sets out member states’ obligations, coordination mechanisms, technical and operational standards and safety requirements. It also lays down a timetable for implementation and operation. Integration of signalling, communications and safety systems will be coordinated by the GCC Railways Authority. Qatar’s Ministry of Transport said the agreement provides a framework for resolving obstacles during implementation. Bahrain’s transport minister said private-sector participation is possible in some components, subject to feasibility studies.
Full operation targeted for 2030
Full operation of the network is targeted for December 2030, with completed cross-border sections able to open earlier. The line will run from Kuwait through Saudi Arabia to Bahrain, with branches from Saudi Arabia to Qatar and the UAE before reaching Oman. Passenger trains will travel at up to 200 km per hour and freight trains at 80 to 120 km per hour. Completion passed the halfway mark in May.
Forecasts put traffic at about 6 million passengers and 200 million tonnes of freight in 2030. Those figures are projected to rise to more than 8 million passengers and 271 million tonnes by 2045. Each country is financing its own section, while earlier cost estimates of $15.4 billion to $16 billion are being reviewed. Bahrain’s connection will depend on the proposed King Hamad Causeway to Saudi Arabia.
Rail as an alternative route
Qatar’s Transport Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulla bin Mohammed Al Thani said the project would improve logistics and open new trade and tourism opportunities in the region. Saudi Arabia and the UAE signed a memorandum of understanding in October on cross-border movement of goods by rail. The railway is designed to link national rail systems with economic centers, ports and logistics hubs.
Shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have underlined the value of overland routes, as tensions pushed Brent crude above $115 a barrel last month. Officials say the railway will complement rather than replace sea transport. GCC leaders approved the project in 2009 and set up the railways authority in 2021. Gulf states have also been working with partners on food and energy security.