Oxford Business Group

Since its inception in 2011, government-owned railway company Qatar Rail has operated with a mandate to develop an efficient countrywide public transport system. This goal is guided by the diversification, sustainable development and social progress goals of Qatar National Vision 2030. The creation of a modern public rail network is intended to improve commute times, alleviate motorway traffic, reduce CO emissions, and provide convenient transport connections that will ultimately change the way people live, work and do business in Qatar. As of early 2022 the national railway system consisted of the Doha Metro and the new Lusail Tram. The latter is a service for affordable

Following delays, the long-awaited GCC Railway looks likely to be revitalised – a move that could transform trade and connectivity across the Gulf. The initiative was given a significant boost in December 2021 when leaders of the six GCC countries approved the establishment of the GCC Railways Authority, the body that will oversee the coordination of the project. The decision marks a potentially significant development for rail infrastructure in the region. In 2009, after a decades-long debate, all member states approved the GCC Railway project.