Kuwait to launch Seven Consultancy Tenders for 2177 km New GCC Railway Project

Kuwait City, Kuwait (Metro Rail Today): Kuwait's Public Authority for Roads and Transportation (PART) is set to issue seven consultancy contracts to advance the construction of a new railway as part of the ambitious Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) railway network. The 2000km project aims to connect Kuwait with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, and Oman, promoting regional trade and economic integration.

The first contract, valued at Dinars 2.4m ($US 7.8m) and focused on project design, was tendered last year, with an award expected soon. Completion of the design phase is anticipated within 12 months. Subsequent tenders will address project management, implementation, and supervision, alongside advisory roles for forming a Kuwait Railway Company and developing a passenger station in Al Shadadiya, west of Kuwait International Airport.

By reducing transport and road maintenance costs, minimizing carbon emissions, and improving road safety, the railway will boost Kuwait's infrastructure and regional economic ties while attracting private investment. This strategic move is expected to catalyze local and GCC-wide growth, opening new trade and investment opportunities.

The Gulf Railway, also known as the GCC Railway, is a proposed railway system to connect all six Gulf Cooperation Council member states in Eastern Arabia. The rail network will have a total length of 2,177 km. The project is estimated to cost US$250 billion. It was scheduled to be completed by 2030, although as of 2025, construction work has yet to start.

Each of the six GCC member states is responsible for implementing the portion of the project that lies within its territory, and will construct its own railway lines and branches, stations and freight terminals. The cost will be shared by the six countries in proportion to the length of the rail network in each country.