Gulf states sign deal to build 2,100km rail network linking six nations

Transport ministers from the six Gulf Co-operation Council member states have signed an accord to advance a unified regional railway network spanning roughly 2,100 kilometres.

The signing took place on Sunday at Al Zahir Palace in Bahrain during the 30th gathering of GCC transport ministers. The planned system is designed to connect all six member nations, running from Kuwait in the north down to Oman in the south, creating a shared corridor for passenger travel and commercial freight.

Bahrain’s Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, Sheikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, called the initiative an investment in the future of the Gulf that will foster stronger ties and economic prosperity. He noted that the pact represents a critical move toward establishing the legal and regulatory frameworks required to implement the rail system, more than ten years after the concept was initially introduced.

GCC Secretary General Jasem Albudaiwi also welcomed the deal, describing it as a major step toward enhancing transport integration across the bloc.

Individual member states have already progressed on their domestic and bilateral rail systems. The United Arab Emirates has rolled out its national rail lines, and work is underway alongside Oman on the 238-kilometre Hafeet Rail link connecting Abu Dhabi with the Omani port of Sohar via Al Ain and Al Buraimi. That cross-border route is scheduled to launch trial runs in 2027. Bahrain plans to join the regional network through the proposed King Hamad Causeway, a planned road and rail link connecting the island kingdom to Saudi Arabia.

The renewed focus on regional ground transit comes against the backdrop of significant logistical pressures in the Gulf. Following military strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran earlier in the year, retaliatory drone and missile attacks targeted infrastructure across Gulf countries hosting American military assets. Iran also imposed maritime restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz, hampering normal commercial shipping routes.

Sheikh Abdulla explained to The National that the disruption to maritime traffic in the strait reduced vessel arrivals at Bahrain's Khalifa bin Salman Port. In response, regional supply chains pivoted toward road haulage and alternative maritime hubs, including Jeddah Islamic Port in Saudi Arabia, Fujairah in the UAE, and the Omani ports of Duqm and Sohar, underscoring the strategic value of robust overland transport links.