Kuwait Signs $8.1M Gulf Rail Design Contract with Turkey’s Proyapi

Kuwait has made a significant step towards its involvement in the highly anticipated Gulf Railway Project with the signing of a 2.5 million Kuwaiti dinar ($8.1 million) contract with Turkish engineering company Proyapi. The agreement is for the planning and design of Kuwait’s 111 kilometre part of the regional rail system which will connect Al-Shadadiya in the north to Nuwaiseeb on the Saudi frontier.

This step formally signals the start of Kuwait’s participation in the 2,177 kilometre railway project aiming to link all six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations such as Kuwait, Bahrain, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman.

Noura Al-Mashaan, Kuwait’s Public Works Minister signed the accord in the presence of Turkey’s Ambassador Tuba Nur Sonmez in Kuwait. Design and engineering studies, soil analysis, route tracing and preparation of tender documents for the build stage are included in the agreement. The design stage will take roughly a year to complete.

Construction of the Gulf Railway has already begun in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Oman. The network is designed to increase trade, tourism and the unhindered movement of goods and people throughout the region. The Two million square meter train station is planned for Al-Shadadiya.

Ahmed Al-Saleh, the Ministry of Public Works spokesman, highlighted the significance of the railway, stating it is in accordance with the collective vision of Gulf leaders for the integration of the region.

Kuwaiti construction is set to be completed by 2030. Upon completion of the design, Kuwait will tender out the construction stage, bringing closer the vision of an integrated Gulf.