Middle East Rail and Public Transport Projects – 2012 – Brooks Market Intelligence Reports, part of Mack Brooks Exhibitions Ltd www.brooksreports.com Mack Brooks Exhibitions Ltd © 2012. All rights reserved. No guarantee can be given as to the correctness and/or completeness of the information provided in this document. Users are recommended to verify the reliability of the statements made before making any decisions based on them. Contents Introduction 4 Bahrain Urban rail/national rail transport network 5 Iraq Baghdad metro 7 Baghdad elevated metro 8 Kurdistan tram systems 9 Karbala monorail 10 Najaf monorail 11 Israel Jerusalem Red Line light rail system 12 National rail network expansion 13 Tel Aviv light metro 15 Jordan National rail network 16 Amman-Zarqa light rail system 18 Amman rapid transit 19 Kuwait Metropolitan Rapid Transit System (KMRT) 20 Kuwait National Rail Road Network (KNRR) 21 Oman National rail network 22 Qatar Main line railways 24 Urban railways 26 Saudi Arabia Background 27 Haramain High-Speed Railway 28 North-South Railway 30 Saudi Landbridge 32 Future rail expansion projects 33 Jeddah: King Abdulaziz International Airport 34 peoplemover Jeddah metro 35 Mack Brooks Exhibitions Ltd © 2012 2 Saudi Arabia (continued ) Madinah public transport system 36 Makkah Metro 37 Riyadh metro 39 Riyadh King Abdullah Financial District monorail 40 Riyadh university monorail 41 Syria National railways expansion 42 Damascus metro 43 United Arab Emirates Etihad Rail 44 United Arab Emirates: Abu Dhabi Surface Transport Master Plan 2030 (STMP 2030) 46 United Arab Emirates: Dubai Dubai Metro 48 City of Arabia monorail 50 Downtown Jebel Ali peoplemover 51 Palm Jumeirah Monorail 52 Al Sofouh Tram 53 Yemen National rail network 54 Gulf Cooperation Council Regional rail network 55 Mack Brooks Exhibitions Ltd © 2012 3 Introduction This latest review on rail and urban transport developments in the Middle East from Brooks Market Intelligence Reports confirms that despite an economic slowdown and in a few instances political uncertainty, the Middle East remains a vibrant new rail market, with many projects showing great progress. The most significant main line rail construction activity has been in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Other Gulf states are also moving to build railway systems which as well as meeting national needs, will contribute to the regional network being coordinated by the Gulf Cooperation Council. In addition, there is progress with ambitious urban schemes such as those planned by Qatar ahead of hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Major investments are being made in Israel, with new lines under construction or planned, extensive electrification in the pipeline and progress in implementing urban rail systems. And there are signs of movement in Iraq as it rebuilds after years of conflict, with a number of urban projects mooted. This report provides a concise overview of current principal main line, metro, rapid transit and light rail projects in the 12 countries, giving an insight into rail development in the region. The features of each project are summarised and where possible its current status is noted. Internet links are also provided for the organisations responsible. Suppliers worldwide are engaged in the implementation of these projects – and with no significant railway supply industry in any of the region’s countries, they present major but challenging opportunities for companies seeking new business. The Middle East is fulfilling its promise and becoming a major rail market. July 2012 Mack Brooks Exhibitions Ltd © 2012 4 Bahrain Urban rail/national rail transport network Urban network In 2010 consultants were shortlisted to conduct a feasibility study into a projected 184.2 km public transport system to ease traffic congestion and to meet the urban mobility needs of a growing population, which is expected to double to 2 million by 2030. This was to be part of the Integrated Transport Strategy for Bahrain, which received cabinet approval in September 2008. Following budgetary delays, a revised scope of the works and applications to broaden the list of prequalified consultants, in June 2011 a new invitation to prequalify to undertake feasibility studies into the network, now known as the Bahrain Integrated Transit Lines, was issued by the Ministry of Works. The network is expected to include light rail/tram systems, a monorail and a bus rapid transport (BRT) system. It had been intended to build in three phases by 2030 at an estimated cost of USD7.93 billion. When complete, ridership of 319 million passengers annually has been projected, boosted by measures such as congestion charging to reduce car use. Proposed elements of the network are: • Light rail: Red Line (32.7 km, 18 stops); Brown Line (32 km, 17 stops) • Monorail: Blue Line (29 km, 23 stations) • Tram: Green Line (21 km, 23 stops) • BRT: Orange Line (33 km, 26 stops); Purple Line 36.5 km, 33 stops) The first phase (USD1.2 billion), commissioning of which had been expected by 2014, will see construction of a 13 km section of the Red Line from Bahrain International Airport to Bahrain Mall and 11 km of the Green Line from Juffair to Bahrain Mall. Main line links In the first phase of developing a main line system, Bahrain is to gain a rail link with Qatar via the 40 km Friendship Causeway, construction of which had been due to Mack Brooks Exhibitions Ltd © 2012 5 commence in 2009 for completion by 2013 but is now expected to start in 2012 (see Qatar: main line railways ). This would open to road traffic in 2016, with the railway following some time after. There are plans for a passenger station and intermodal freight terminal near the end of the causeway, plus links to nearby industries. A second phase provides for a line to the border with Saudi Arabia via a new causeway parallel to the existing King Fahd Causeway. This would provide an additional connection with the regional rail network planned by the Gulf Cooperation Council. Key agencies: Roads Planning & Design Directorate, Ministry of Works (www.works.gov.bh ) Mack Brooks Exhibitions Ltd © 2012 6 Iraq Baghdad metro Long-established plans have been revived for an underground metro system in the Iraqi capital. As initially conceived, the 39 km two-line network would comprise: • Line 1, 21 km with 21 stations, linking northern Baghdad districts with the city centre and the Al-Masbah District in the south with the Al-Baya' district in the west of Baghdad. • Line 2, 18 km with 20 stations, linking Sadr City, east of the River Tigris, with Al-Adhamiyah in the north. The estimated cost of the project has been put at USD3 billion. Status In May 2010 eight companies were shortlisted to conduct feasibility studies and design the network. In 2011 the French consultancy company Systra was awarded a contract by Baghdad municipality to undertake design of the system. This work was expected to take 18 months, leading to invitations to bid for construction work being issued in early 2013. However, later in 2011 it was reported that the project had been put on hold due to a lack of funds. Key agency : Mayoralty of Baghdad (www.amanatbaghdad.gov.iq ) Mack Brooks Exhibitions Ltd © 2012 7 Iraq Baghdad elevated metro In July 2010 Baghdad Governorate announced a plan to construct a 25 km 16-station elevated metro, described as a monorail, linking the districts of Al-Mustansiriya and Al- Alawi al-Hilla. The authority stressed that this was a project complementary to the Baghdad underground metro scheme and not an alternative to it. Its cost has been estimated at USD1.5 billion. Status In January 2011 a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Iraqi authorities and Alstom covering construction of the first line, with the promised support of partial funding assistance via loans from the French government and banks. A follow-up preliminary agreement between the parties was signed in May 2011. No further progress has been reported. Key agency : Baghdad Governorate ( www.baghdad.gov.iq ) Mack Brooks Exhibitions Ltd © 2012 8 Iraq Kurdistan tram systems In February 2011 feasibility studies were commissioned by the Kurdistan regional government into tram systems in three communities, collectively known as the Tram Way project: • Duhok : Terra Nova of Romania to study 40 km network. • Erbil : FG Tecnopolo of Italy to study a 60 km 87-stop four-line network. • Sulaimaniyah : SGI of Italy to study a 50 km network. The Erbil system is expected to cost around USD1.7 billion. Status Design work for the Erbil system was completed in June 2012. Funding for all three systems is yet to be allocated. No construction timetable has been set. Key agency : Ministry of Transportation and Communications, Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) (www.krg.org ) Mack Brooks Exhibitions Ltd © 2012 9 Iraq Karbala monorail In early 2012 the National Investment Commission (NIC) re-issued an invitation for expressions of interest in the construction of an 18 km monorail system to serve the city of Karbala, which is visited by large numbers of Shi’ite pilgrims each year during several major religious rites. With an expected 18-20 stations, the line would run from the northern entrance to the city to the main Shi’ite shrines in the central area and then towards the northeast of the city. Trains of 4-6 cars are envisaged, running every one to two minutes at speeds of up to 90 km/h. Estimated cost of the system is USD450 million. Key agency : National Investment Commission ( www.investpromo.gov.iq ) Mack Brooks Exhibitions Ltd © 2012 10 Iraq Najaf monorail A straddle monorail of 37 km (single-track equivalent) has been planned to serve three major Shi'ite pilgrimage sites in Najaf: the Holy Mosque of Imam Ali, and the Kufa and Sahla shrines.