Qatar: Main Line Railways

Three separate but integrated schemes are planned to create an electrified national main line network:

• A 180 km high-speed rail link between New Doha International Airport and Bahrain, running via Doha city centre. This will run on the planned 40 km Friendship Causeway between Qatar and Bahrain, formed of 22 km of viaducts and 18 km of artificial dykes.
• A 325 km system mainly for freight but with some sections totalling around 270km also carrying passenger traffic. This includes a rail link for freight and passenger services between the Ras Laffan natural gas hub and industrial complex and the new port and refinery town of Mesaieed via Doha city centre.
• A 100 km line from Doha to the border with Saudi Arabia to provide a freight link with the Gulf Cooperation Council’s planned regional network (see Gulf Cooperation Council).

Status

In 2010 Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company and Deutsche Bahn subsidiary DB International formed a joint venture, Qatar Railways Development Company, in which Qatari Diar held 51% and DB the remainder. This company was to be responsible for managing design and construction of a national rail network and metro and other rail-based urban systems serving the Doha conurbation under the Qatar Railways Programme. In 2011 Qatar Rail (QRail), a government agency, took over the role that had been assigned to Qatar Railways Development Company. The cost of the entire Qatar Railways Programme has been estimated at USD37 billion at 2012 prices. Coordination of the entire project is undertaken by a Railways Steering Committee chaired by the Prime Minister.

To meet the country’s needs in hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup, QRail is giving priority to construction of its planned urban networks around Doha. The main line system is provisionally expected to be completed by around 2026.

Work on the USD5 billion Friendship Causeway, originally conceived as a two-lane road link, had been due to start in May 2008 following the award of a construction contract to a consortium led by a joint venture between Vinci Construction Grands Projets and Qatari Diar, with Cowi acting as design consultant and US-based KBR in association with Halcrow of the UK providing programme management services. This was delayed at the request of the government to allow redesign of the causeway to accommodate the railway. Construction is now expected to begin in 2012, with the link opening for road traffic in 2016 and the railway becoming operational soon after.

The causeway project has been developed and is being managed by the Qatar-Bahrain Causeway Foundation, a bi-national body created in 2006 by the Emir of Qatar and the King of Bahrain.

Key agencies: Qatari Rail; Qatar-Bahrain Causeway Foundation