GCC railway agreement signed in Manama for 2,100km network

GCC transport ministers signed the GCC railway agreement in Manama on Sunday, putting in place the legal framework for a network of about 2,100km linking Kuwait with Oman that is due to be fully operational by December 2030.

The General Agreement for the GCC Railway Project was signed on the sidelines of the 30th meeting of GCC transport and telecommunications ministers, hosted by Bahrain. Sheikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Bahrain’s Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, called the project “an investment in the future of the Gulf and its generations”, The National reported. Ahead of the meeting, he had described it as the most important agreement reached at GCC level on the railway, and said accelerating the project had become “a top strategic priority for the Gulf”, according to Arabian Business.

GCC Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi said the agreement was an important step in enhancing Gulf integration in the transport sector, The Peninsula reported. Bahrain also signed two bilateral memoranda of understanding at the meeting, one with Saudi Arabia on railway cooperation and one with Qatar on land transport and logistics services, according to News of Bahrain.

The line will carry passengers and freight from Kuwait in the north through Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE to Oman in the south. Passenger trains are designed to run at about 200km/h and freight services at 80–120km/h, according to a BETH Analysis report cited by regional media.

What the GCC railway agreement covers

The agreement sets out member states’ obligations on the implementation, operation and technical coordination of the project, giving the six countries a common legal and regulatory basis for cross-border rail operations. The GCC Railways Authority, which is headquartered in Riyadh, has been working to unify technical specifications so that national lines can operate as one system.

Before the signing, Sheikh Abdulla stressed the need for coordination among the six governments and for joint regulatory and legislative frameworks to be finalised on time. The project was first proposed more than a decade ago, The National reported.

Under the current plan, the full Gulf railway network is to be operational by December 2030. Completed cross-border sections between neighbouring states could open before that deadline, according to the BETH Analysis report.

National networks already taking shape

Several pieces of the regional network already exist or are under construction. The UAE has launched its national railway, and Hafeet Rail, the 238km line linking Sohar with Abu Dhabi via Al Buraimi and Al Ain, is due to begin trial operations in the fourth quarter of 2027.

Said bin Hamoud Al Maawali, Oman’s Minister of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, confirmed the 2027 trial date, the Oman Observer reported. The Sohar to Abu Dhabi journey is expected to take 100 minutes, and a single freight train will be able to carry more than 15,000 tonnes, or roughly 270 standard containers, according to the newspaper.

Bahrain’s own connection depends on the proposed King Hamad Causeway, a fixed road and rail link with Saudi Arabia. The island state currently has one airport, one seaport and one land border crossing, which has put a premium on alternative routes this year.

Why it matters for Gulf trade

The agreement comes at a difficult moment for regional logistics. Since the regional conflict began in late February, Iranian attacks on Gulf states and a de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz have disrupted shipping, and ship calls at Bahrain’s Khalifa bin Salman Port have fallen. At Sunday’s meeting, ministers identified risks to navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab as a major concern, citing disrupted supply chains and higher freight costs, News of Bahrain reported.

Bahrain has leaned on road freight and on alternative ports in Saudi Arabia and Oman, as well as Fujairah in the UAE, to keep goods moving. “Transport is the lifeline of any economy in any country in the world,” Sheikh Abdulla told The National. A rail corridor would give the region an additional overland route that does not depend on the Gulf’s sea lanes.

Industry analysts cited by Arabian Business expect the network to lower freight costs, connect ports with industrial zones and markets, and attract private investment into logistics and warehousing. That would complement the investment drives already under way, from Bahrain’s $3.89bn of golden licences awarded at Gateway Gulf 2026 to the $1.4bn of agreements signed at Oman’s Muscat forum.

What happens next

With the GCC railway agreement signed, the regulatory milestone is in place; delivery is the harder part. Implementation depends on aligning construction schedules, border procedures and operating systems across six countries, according to the BETH Analysis report, and on Bahrain and Saudi Arabia committing to the causeway that would carry the Bahraini section.

Investors in Gulf logistics, construction and rolling stock will be watching for the GCC Railways Authority to publish detailed timelines once the pact is in force. The minister’s earlier comments are set out in The National’s interview.