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The Journal · Manama

GCC Travel by Train: The Gulf Railway Agreement Is Signed, With Full Service Targeted for 2030

The six Gulf states have signed the General Agreement for the GCC Railway in Manama, setting shared rules for a network of about 2,100 kilometers from Kuwait to Oman. Construction across the wider network is more than half complete, and full operations are targeted for December 2030.

At a glance

The Gulf Railway Moves Ahead at a glance

Signed
November 8, 2026, in Manama, Bahrain
Network
About 2,100 km, Kuwait to Oman, linking all six GCC states
Progress
About 55.9 percent of construction complete across the wider network
Full operations
Targeted for December 2030
Forecast
6 million passengers a year in 2030, more than 8 million by 2045

Railway agreement for GCC travel

A railway agreement for GCC travel

GCC travel by train took a clear step forward this week. On Sunday, November 8, 2026, the six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council signed the General Agreement for the GCC Railway Project in Manama, on the sidelines of the 31st meeting of the GCC Ministerial Committee on Transport and Communications. The transport ministers of all six states attended, together with the GCC Secretary-General, Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, who described the agreement as an important milestone for Gulf integration in transport.

The agreement sets common rules for building and running the network: how the project is carried out, how the technical systems fit together, and how trains will cross from one country to the next. The aim, as Construction Week reports, is for the national railways to operate as one interoperable system, with passengers and freight moving across borders on a single timetable and common standards.

From Kuwait to Oman

The GCC Railway is planned to run for about 2,100 kilometers, from Kuwait in the north to Oman in the south, through Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE, linking major cities, ports and logistics hubs. According to the GCC Railways Authority, about 55.9 percent of the construction and implementation work across the wider network is already complete, and full operations are targeted for December 2030.

Gulf News reports the forecasts behind the plan: about 6 million passengers a year when the network opens in 2030, rising to more than 8 million by 2045, and about 200 million tonnes of freight in 2030, rising to 271 million tonnes by 2045. For travelers, it points toward a Gulf where a weekend in Muscat, Doha or Kuwait City could begin at a railway station.

National lines that will join it

The national lines that will join it

Much of the network grows from railways the Gulf states are building at home. In the UAE, Etihad Rail is the national network, and its passenger service is already carrying travelers; Time Out Dubai reports that two more stations, Madinat Zayed and Liwa in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, open on November 30. Hafeet Rail, a 238-kilometer line now in development, will link Abu Dhabi with the Omani port of Sohar through Al Ain and Al Buraimi.

Bahrain's link to the mainland is expected through the proposed King Hamad Causeway, designed to carry both road and rail traffic. Our guide to luxury trains and rail in the Middle East follows each of these lines, and our look at the future of travel, from air taxis to high-speed rail places them among the region's new ways to move.

Planning a Gulf journey today

Until the trains arrive, the Gulf is an easy region to combine by air, with short flights between every capital. Bahrain makes a fine first stop: our Bahrain travel guide covers the pearling heritage of Muharraq and the Bahrain Grand Prix, and our guide to Manama's best hotels includes the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay and The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain.

Further along the planned route, our guides to Kuwait and Oman describe two of the quieter pleasures of luxury travel in the Gulf, from Kuwait City's waterfront towers to the fjords of Musandam. The winter months, from November to March, are the most comfortable time to visit all six countries.

Questions readers ask

When will the GCC Railway open?

Full operations are targeted for December 2030, according to the GCC Railways Authority and the agreement signed in Manama on November 8, 2026.

Which countries will the GCC Railway connect?

All six GCC states: Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE and Oman, over a network of about 2,100 kilometers carrying passengers and freight.

Can I travel by train in the Gulf now?

Yes, within some countries. Etihad Rail runs passenger trains in the UAE, and Saudi Arabia has its own intercity railways. The cross-border Gulf network is targeted for 2030.

Sources

Checked on 11/09/2026. Prices and dates are approximate and can change. See our standard.