The railroad is one of the cornerstones of the Bahrain Vision 2030 plan, which aims to build world-class infrastructure to develop the country's economy.
Bahrain, officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, is a sovereign Asian island state located near the western coast of the Persian Gulf.
The results of the study, which is being conducted by SNC Lavalin, will be released in March. The study proposes two possible routes for the new 87-kilometer link, both of which would connect to the new passenger and freight terminals built on land reclaimed from the sea, located in both countries and north of the current elevated highway.
The link would include 28 kilometers of access tracks, a 26-kilometer elevated highway, and a 10-kilometer bridge. Trains would travel at speeds of up to 120 km/h, and the study estimates that up to 143,000 containers would be transported in the first year of operation, rising to 343,000 in 2030 and 602,000 in 2050. Construction is expected to take between five and six years, and the tentative opening date is 2022.
Connections to the new port and airport
The study was scheduled to be completed by the end of 2014, but there have been delays in determining the possible routes and the economic feasibility, all of which will help shed light on the project's costs.
A second phase of the rail project calls for connections to Bahrain's new port and airport, while a third link will cross the country to connect with Qatar's future elevated highway.
Although Bahraini authorities are emphasizing the project to connect with Saudi Arabia, the link with Qatar is also crucial, especially in light of the 2022 World Cup. This rail project is part of Bahrain Vision 2030, which aims to build world-class infrastructure to develop the country’s economy. Bahrain also hopes to develop a light rail system to alleviate traffic congestion on its roads, and a feasibility study is currently underway.
