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This map shows the route of the expected GCC railway.
This map shows the route of the expected GCC railway.

Kuwait awards design of railway project to Turkish firm Proyapi

Design phase expected to last 12 months with full project set to finish by 2030

KUWAIT: The Central Agency for Public Tenders in Kuwait has awarded the design contract for the country’s railway project to Turkish engineering and consulting firm Proyapi, marking a significant step in the development of the Kuwait-Saudi Arabia railway.

In a statement to the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) on Thursday, the agency explained that the first phase of the project will focus on providing detailed design services and preparing tender documents. This initial phase is set to last for 12 months, after which the tender for the construction phase will be launched.

Proyapi, a company with experience in infrastructure projects in Turkey, is no stranger to Kuwait. It previously won the tender for the study, design, and supervision of the rehabilitation and construction of Kuwait’s 2nd and 3rd Ring roads.

The company has also also managed key railway projects, having completed the Burdur–Antalya High-Speed Railway Line (2016-2022) and the Konya–Seydişehir High-Speed Railway Line (2015-2020) in Turkey, both managed by the General Directorate of State Railways of Turkey.

The Kuwait railway project, which is part of the broader Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) railway network, is expected to be completed by 2030. The 111-kilometer rail track will connect Kuwait to Saudi Arabia, with Kuwait serving as the northern station. The passenger station will be located in the Shadadiya area, covering 2 million square meters. Once completed, the Gulf railway network will span 2,177 kilometers, linking Kuwait City in the north to Oman in the south, passing through several other Gulf countries.

In 2024, Proyapi was among five international firms selected to bid on the project. According to an anonymous source who spoke with Al-Qabas, Proyapi offered the lowest bid. Other companies bidding for the project include Systra (Turkey), China Railway (China), Sener (Spain), and JFA Engenharia (Portugal).

Kuwait’s Cabinet has tasked the Public Authority for Roads and Transport with expediting the work on the railway project, aiming for completion ahead of the scheduled deadline. The authority has been directed to streamline the documentation process, accelerate the project’s implementation phases, and provide semi-annual progress reports to the Cabinet. This railway project, which has been in development since at least 2014, is expected to deliver strategic and economic benefits to Kuwait as part of the GCC’s unified transportation network.

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