The GCC Railway Network
Type
E-journal
Date
11 Aug 2015
Jurisdiction
Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates
Taxonomy
Rail, Infrastructure Projects
Copyright
LexisNexis
Relevant company
Clyde & Co
Analysis
Transborder rail transport in the Arabian Peninsula dates back to the early 20th century and the Hejaz Railway which linked Damascus in Syria to Medina in Saudi Arabia. Its principal purpose was to transport pilgrims between Constantinople, the capital of the former Ottoman Empire, and the Hejaz in Arabia, the site of the holy city of Mecca, whilst also shortening travel time for military forces. Over a century following the closure of the Hejaz Railway, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is now embarking on one of the largest modern cross-border rail networks in the world.
Project overview
Economic development and rapid population increase demand a shift from road transport towards a more developed national and regional transportation system in the Gulf.
The GCC Railway, once fully operating, is intended to connect all six GCC nations with track running through each of the following key cities: Kuwait City, Dammam in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Abu Dhabi and Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Doha in the State of Qatar, Muscat in the Sultanate of Oman, and Manama in the Kingdom of Bahrain.