A train renaissance is underway in the Gulf.
A long-delayed rail service connecting the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council is expected to open by the end of 2030, The National reported. The more than 2,000-kilometer Gulf Railway Project, set to carry passengers and freight, is expected to be a massive unlock for regional tourism and trade — both of which are less integrated in the Gulf compared to other economic blocs.
Meanwhile, Etihad Rail’s passenger service tapped Dubai Metro operator Keolis International, a French firm, for operations and maintenance as it prepares to begin service next year. The project will ultimately connect Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, and Fujairah by rail for the first time. And in Saudi Arabia, Alstom, the French rail company that operates some metro lines in Riyadh, is adding up to 150 trains to its fleet — a 50% increase — after ridership was “two to three times higher than the original business plan,” the firm’s regional president told AGBI.