Kuwait embarks on landmark railway project with Saudi support
Kuwait will serve as the northern station for the 111 km GCC Railway, with the Public Authority for Roads & Transportation overseeing the 12-month project, managed by five qualified international companies.
• The Kuwait segment accounts for 5% of the GCC railway network, following the signing of 18 contracts for major road maintenance across the governorates.
• The railway project aims to deepen regional partnerships, reflecting a shared commitment to building a sustainable, interconnected future for the region by adopting the outputs of the feasibility study for the railway link between Kuwait and Riyadh.
• The project will boost economic growth, enhance GCC integration, and create new transport and logistics opportunities, strengthening ties between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
In a significant move to advance national infrastructure, the government, through the Central Agency for Public Tenders and in partnership with regulatory authorities and the Public Authority for Roads & Transportation, has initiated one of the largest projects in the State Development Plan (New Kuwait): the railway project.Following the signing of eighteen contracts for major road network maintenance across various governorates, this railway project, implemented in collaboration with Saudi Arabia, marks a strategic milestone, reported Al Jaridanewspaper.
The acceleration of tender completions followed important meetings between Dr. Noura Al-Mashaan, Minister of Public Works, and M. Saleh Al-Jasser, Saudi Minister of Transport and Logistics.
Tender envelope opening session
Haifa Al-Jarallah, Vice President of the authority, stated in a document obtained by the Al Jarida newspaper after the tender envelope opening session for the railway project discussion: The project begins with the study and design of the first phase of the Gulf Railway/track project. Kuwait will serve as the northern station for the GCC Railway, spanning 111 km and directly connecting to Saudi Arabia. The Kuwait segment represents about fivepercent of the GCC railway network.
She added that the recent opening of financial tenders through the Central Agency for Public Tenders complements the study and design phase, following the technical tender review conducted last July.
Al-Jarallah further revealed that the project will progress in several stages: the first phase involves appointing a global consultant to provide advisory services; the second phase includes the qualification, presentation, and awarding of the project to investors; and the third phase focuses on implementing all project-related work.
Five international companies qualified for Kuwait’s railway project
Al-Jarallah stated that the Public Authority for Roads & Transportation is the entity responsible for Kuwait’s railway project, adding that the project’s contract period will be twelve months. She noted, “After a technical evaluation of the submitted tenders, five international companies have qualified to manage this strategic project.”
She added that the expedited progress on the project’s tenders followed key meetings between minister Al-Mashaan and Saudi minister Saleh Al-Jasser, where they reviewed the feasibility study results for the railway link between Kuwait City and Riyadh.
Kuwait aims to link seaports with railways
She explained that the railway project aims to deepen regional partnerships, reflecting a shared commitment to building a sustainable, interconnected future for the region by adopting the outputs of the feasibility study for the railway link between Kuwait and Riyadh.
Driving development forward
The project will also help advance economic growth and strengthen integration among GCC countries. It will create new opportunities for transport and logistics services while promoting economic development, trade, and infrastructure ties between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
Sources explained that the project is designed with sustainability in mind and supports global logistics expansion through the GCC rail network and the Kuwait-Riyadh railway. They emphasized Kuwait’s commitment to linking seaports with railways, offering an efficient, sustainable solution to enhance logistics services and support land transport projects. This initiative aligns with Kuwait’s vision of transforming into a global commercial and economic hub, advancing the road map to achieve this goal.
