2,100km GCC Railway Accord Signed as Six Nations Set 2030 Target
Transport ministers from all six Gulf Cooperation Council states gather in Manama on November 8, 2026, to sign a landmark framework agreement establishing a 2,100-kilometer regional railway network. Commercial freight operators, logistics providers, and cross-border travelers across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait stand to gain an integrated land transport route designed to link major Gulf trade markets by 2030.
Bahrain’s Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, Sheikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, confirmed the consensus ahead of the ministerial summit, describing the accord as the most significant GCC-level agreement reached for the multi-state infrastructure project.
Cross-Border Network Targets 200 km/h Passenger Services Across Six Nations
Under the proposed technical framework, passenger trains will operate at speeds reaching 200 kilometres per hour, while freight line speeds will range between 80 and 120 kilometres per hour. The completed line will span from Kuwait in the north to Oman in the south, incorporating dedicated links such as the proposed King Hamad Causeway to connect Bahrain directly to the Saudi Arabian mainland rail infrastructure.
The agreement builds on advanced bilateral rail developments already underway across the Arabian Peninsula, including the 238-kilometer Hafeet Rail project connecting the Omani port of Sohar to Abu Dhabi via Al Buraimi and Al Ain, which is scheduled to begin trial operations in 2027.
