$11bn rail plan to link GCC states approved

By Andy Sambidge
  • Thursday, 16 October 2008 8:27 AM
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GCC transport ministers have approved a $11 billion railway project that will link the six Gulf states.

Results of a feasibility study for the 1,500km network will now be submitted to the Gulf leaders’ summit due to be held in Muscat in December.

The proposed GCC rail network will begin from Kuwait and go to Muscat via Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE.

A study to connect it with Yemen also is underway.

The Minister of Business and Trade, Sheikh Fahad bin Jassim al-Thani told Qatar daily Gulf Times: “The study has been approved in principle and will be submitted to the upcoming GCC summit." The minister also said there were plans to cut the airfares between the Gulf states.

“The Civil Aviation authorities of the GCC are scheduled to discuss this proposal soon,” he added.

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Posted by: George C. Ittyarah Thursday, 16 October 2008 10:13 PM[UAE] - UAE

It is astonishing to note that the cost of new Nakheel tower of 1 km tall will cost 38 billion $ comparing to the newly approved rail track covering the whole GCC countries will cost only 11 Billion $!! Benefit of the rail track to the whole GCC economy will be much more higher than the utility and benefit of the 1 km tower.

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