Qatar Railway Network Ready in 16 Years

Qatari Diar and Germany-based global logistics and passenger leader Deutsche Bahn (DB) launched the Qatar Railways Development Company (QRDC), a joint venture which will build an integrated national railway network at an expected cost of US$25 billion, in about 16 years.

The proposed 651km network with 98 stations across the peninsula is set to change the urban landscape of Qatar. “We would like to have the best system in the world to support our economy,” Qatari Diar managing director and CEO Ghanim Saad al-Saad, said. The first stage of the “extremely complex” project will begin from the West Bay-end of Doha with the metro and is likely to cost more than US$2 billion, according to al-Saad. The metro system will have a length of 300km.

The 51:49 joint venture (Diar 51%) QRDC will be the sole entity responsible for developing various models and integrating them into Qatar’s railway network which, in addition to the metro system, includes freight transport as well as long-distance passenger travel.

Al-Saad signed the joint venture agreement with DB chairman and chief executive officer Ruediger Grube at the Emiri Diwan in the presence of Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor al-Thani and high-level delegations from both countries. - Gulf Times