Al Budaiwi praised the UAE’s key role in major national projects and the Gulf Railway initiative
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has met all its obligations regarding the GCC Railway project and is now prepared to link up with its GCC neighbors. This is according to Jasem Al Budaiwi, secretary-general of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC).
Al Budaiwi commended the UAE’s vital role in initiating major national projects and its significant contribution to the Gulf Railway project.
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In a statement to the Emirates News Agency (WAM) during the Global Rail Transport Infrastructure Exhibition and Conference (GRTIEC) in Abu Dhabi, which runs until October 10, Al Budaiwi highlighted that this strategic GCC initiative is set to commence operations in 2030 as planned.
He further mentioned that the project aims to transport 6 million passengers at launch, with expectations to increase to 8 million by 2045. The projected volume of goods to be transported at the project’s inception is 201 million tons, rising to 271 million tons by 2045.
Economy Middle East previously reported that the project seeks to link all six GCC countries with a 2,177-km railway. Beginning in Kuwait City to the north, the rail line will traverse the coastal cities of Jubail and Dammam in Saudi Arabia, before passing through Bahrain’s capital, Manama, and Doha, the capital of Qatar. The route will then re-enter Saudi Arabia before continuing to the UAE, where it will connect major cities such as Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Fujairah, ultimately reaching its terminal station in Muscat, the capital of Oman.
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