KUWAIT: The long-anticipated mega Gulf railway project, designed to connect all six GCC member countries—Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates—is set for completion from Kuwait’s side in December 2030, promising to bring an economic boom to the entire region.

According to local papers, the GCC Railway Authority has recently taken a critical step regarding this project. On June 7, it opened the bidding process for companies to develop a comprehensive project plan and examine the operational aspects of the railway, giving them until July 7 to submit their bids.

The Center for Government Communication announced via its social media platforms that the train will take only 150 minutes to travel from Kuwait to Riyadh, operating at a speed of 250 km per hour. They further disclosed that 23 institutions of ministries and government agencies are collaborating to overcome challenges hindering the project, which is expected to be completed in 30 months.

Following the latest project updates, most of the comments reflected people’s excitement and optimism. Maryam Bu Safar expressed her enthusiasm, writing, “This is the best news I’ve heard all day; one Gulf unites us.” Nura Al-Mutairi shared her hope, saying, “Two years ago, I wished for a railway connecting Gulf countries. Hopefully, I’ll live to see my dream come true.” Additionally, many others asked for extending the routes to other countries, with a number of special requests for a direct route to holy Makkah.

Economic expert Ali Al-Enzi told Kuwait Times that this project will significantly increase trade volume among GCC countries and play a major role in achieving economic integration within the region. It will support the growth and productivity rates of countries, helping them transport their products through a safe, fast, and modern transportation method at low costs. “It’s only through the adoption of the latest technological means in communication and transportation that GCC countries will be able to reach the economic heights they aim to,” Enzi said.

The project will not only facilitate the transportation of goods but also ease travel problems of people, contributing to a rise in Gulf tourism, said Enzi. He believes that, similar to Europe’s railway system, this project will make travel costs lower and more affordable across all GCC countries. With consumers having more transportation alternatives to choose from, competition with other modes will increase too, potentially driving down airfare prices, he said.

Enzi added that this new development in the Gulf will create more job opportunities to operate the train, thereby bringing down the unemployment rate in the region. In addition to the economic benefits, as the railway will rely on diesel to generate electricity to work, Enzi mentioned that it will decrease reliance on other transportation methods that highly consume oil, thereby improving the quality of the environment by reducing carbon dioxide emissions.