In light of the navigational disturbances in the Strait of Hormuz and the challenges it poses to trade movement and supply chains, the Gulf Cooperation Council countries signed, on Sunday, in Manama, the general agreement for the railway connection project, in a step aimed at establishing a common framework for implementing and operating the network, and enhancing the integration of transport systems between the six countries.
The agreement comes at a time when the importance of diversifying transportation and supply options is increasing, after navigational disturbances in the Strait of Hormuz and the sea lanes surrounding it showed the extent to which the movement of goods is affected by regional tensions, and the accompanying high shipping and insurance costs and the need for alternative routes. In this context, the Gulf train project emerges as part of a broader system of logistical integration, and not a substitute for maritime transport, which remains an essential component of the international and Gulf trade movement.
The agreement was signed under the patronage and presence of the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Bahrain, Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, and with the participation of the Ministers of Transport and Communications in the GCC countries, and the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Jassim Al-Budaiwi, to form an organizational basis for cooperation between the member states in implementing a network extending about 2,117 kilometers, linking Kuwait with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and the Emirates, all the way to the Sultanate of Oman, with the goal of being fully operational by December 2030.
The agreement specifies the obligations of member states and the work and coordination mechanisms between them, in addition to the technical and operational frameworks and safety requirements, to ensure the integration of the Gulf network with national railways.
The Bahraini Minister of Transportation and Communications, Dr. Sheikh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, said in an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat that each country will undertake the financing and implementation of the part located within its territory, explaining that the countries have not concluded prior agreements with international partners to finance or implement the project, and that the participation of international companies can be focused on providing expertise and technical and technological services, according to the needs of each country.
In an indication of the progress of work, Al Budawi announced that the completion rate in the Gulf Railway Project reached 55.9 percent, stressing that the agreement represents a common framework that regulates the obligations of member states in implementing and operating the project in an integrated manner, and determines the work mechanisms and timetable for its completion.
The project aims to fully operate the network in December 2030, with a total length estimated at about 2,117 kilometers, linking Kuwait with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and the Emirates, all the way to the Sultanate of Oman. Member states are working to complete the national routes and connectivity components, with the possibility of operating connections between neighboring countries successively after their requirements are completed, without waiting for the completion of the entire network.
It is estimated that the network will transport about 6 million passengers and 200 million tons of goods in 2030, with the number of passengers rising to more than 8 million and the volume of freight to 271 million tons by 2045. The speed of passenger trains reaches 200 kilometers per hour, while the speed of freight trains ranges between 80 and 120 kilometers per hour.
According to its planned route, the network connects economic and industrial centres, ports and logistics centers in the GCC countries, thus enhancing the movement of intra-regional trade, facilitating the movement of passengers and goods, and opening the way for investment opportunities and new jobs in the transport sectors and related services.
Regarding the cost of the project, previous estimates for basic infrastructure ranged between $15.4 and $16 billion, but the Bahraini minister explained that these estimates are subject to review in light of the rising costs of building materials, services and construction work, without announcing an updated figure for the total cost.
He pointed out that each country's financing of the part located within its territory does not prevent the private sector's participation in some components, after conducting the necessary economic and financial studies, pointing out that the nature of potential partnerships will differ according to each part of the project, and there is no single model proposed for implementation across the entire network.
In Bahrain, the implementation of the project is linked to plans to connect with Saudi Arabia via the proposed King Hamad Bridge, which includes a railway track alongside the land road, allowing the international passenger station in Bahrain to be linked to the Saudi train network. This connection constitutes one of the basic components of completing Bahrain's connection to the Gulf network.
The agreement gains additional importance in light of the challenges facing shipping movement in the region during the recent period, especially with the decline in ship movement in the Bahraini port of Khalifa bin Salman, and the resulting increased reliance on land transport and alternative ports in neighboring countries.
In this context, Al Budawi praised the cooperation provided by Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, and the Sultanate of Oman during the last period, through facilitation, coordination, and providing alternative paths for transporting goods, which helped maintain supply chains to the rest of the GCC countries. He stressed that the next stage requires enhancing integration between transportation systems, diversifying supply routes, and raising the level of preparedness and joint coordination to confront crises, noting that the transportation and storage sector in the GCC countries achieved real growth of 5.7 percent during the year 2025, to be among the highest-growing non-oil economic activities.
During the nineteenth consultative meeting of the Supreme Council, which was held in Jeddah on April 28, 2026, the leaders of the GCC states directed the preparation of a study to enhance logistical integration between the GCC states, as part of broader efforts to develop the transportation system and diversify trade and supply routes.
An important element in the project plan is the possibility of operating interconnection lines between neighboring countries as soon as the necessary components are completed, without the requirement to wait for the completion of the entire Gulf network. This approach allows us to benefit from ready-made parts gradually, instead of linking the start of final operation to the completion of all tracks in the six countries.
Although navigational disturbances have re-highlighted the importance of railways, the project does not aim to replace sea transport by land, but rather to integrate the two means. Trains can transport goods from ports to industrial centers and internal markets, and provide an additional route for distribution between countries, while ships remain the main means of transporting large quantities of international trade over long distances.
The idea of the project dates back to December 2009, when the Supreme Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council approved the establishment of a railway linking member states. As work on the project progressed, the Supreme Council approved the establishment of the Gulf Railway Authority in December 2021, to coordinate efforts between countries and follow up on connectivity and operation requirements.
The Gulf Cooperation Council railway project represents one of the largest regional connectivity projects in the region. It aims to establish a railway network extending across the six Gulf states, to facilitate the transportation of passengers and goods, enhance intra-trade, and link economic and industrial centers and Gulf ports within a single transportation system.
