Syria: National Railways Expansion

In 2011, before intensification of the political crisis in Syria, Syrian Railways publicised ambitious network and capacity expansion proposals under a strategic plan covering the period up to 2025 which it was discussing with government.

One project that has made progress is a link between Dayr az Zawr and the Iraqi system at the border town of Al’Qa’im. This would give Syria access to Iraq’s Gulf ports. An agreement signed by the two railway companies in March 2012 foresaw completion of the link by the end of the year but this timetable is likely to have been disrupted by the unrest in the country.

Other CFS proposals include doubling part of the Damascus-Aleppo line (536 km) and working with its Turkish counterpart TCDD on developing the Aleppo-Gaziantep crossborder route for faster services. There is also a long-mooted proposal to link the Syrian system with planned lines in Jordan and its port at Aqaba.

Key agencies: Syrian Railways (www.cfssyria.org); Ministry of Transport (www.mot.gov.sy)