Zach1055 / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Saudi freight railway archive, August2025, resized; not the planned GCC service
Qatar signed a framework agreement in Manama on Sunday for a railway project connecting the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries, setting out coordination and technical requirements for a regional network intended to carry people and goods across borders.
The General Agreement to Connect GCC Countries Through the Railway Project was signed on the sidelines of the bloc’s 30th transport ministers meeting in Bahrain, Qatar News Agency reported.
The agreement establishes coordination between member countries and the GCC Railways Authority. It defines national responsibilities and addresses technical and operational standards, safety requirements and the ability of the countries’ railway networks to work together, according to the official account.
QNA said the agreement includes a timetable for execution and operation, but its report did not disclose the dates. Sunday’s signing was a framework step, not an announcement that a six-country cross-border service had begun running.
Qatar’s transport minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulla bin Mohammed Al-Thani, said the agreement would help connect national transport networks and facilitate the movement of people and goods. He said it would improve logistics and create opportunities for trade and tourism.
Those are the minister’s expected benefits of the project, rather than measured savings or newly available passenger services. The announcement did not provide fares, freight rates or a date for travelers to book a cross-border train.
The GCC Supreme Council approved the establishment of a railway network connecting its six member states in 2009. It decided in December 2021 to establish the GCC Railways Authority to coordinate implementation and compatibility with national networks, QNA said.
Sunday’s agreement adds a common framework for moving that long-running regional project forward, with the operational details and country-level work determining when the planned connections can carry passengers and freight.
JBizNews Desk | Manama
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