The six Gulf Cooperation Council states signed a general agreement on Sunday to build and operate a cross-border railway linking all six countries, in a ceremony in Manama, Bahrain.

The agreement was signed at Al-Riffa Palace, attended by Bahrain's Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi and the bloc's transport ministers. It sets a common framework for the member states and the GCC Railways Authority to build and run the network as a single, integrated system.

One rulebook for six networks

The deal defines each country's responsibilities, sets a timeline for construction and operation, and establishes shared technical, operational and safety standards. The aim is interoperability, so trains can run across borders without stopping to switch systems.

The GCC Supreme Council approved a railway linking the six member states in 2009, but progress has varied because each country builds its own section. The 238 km Hafeet Rail line linking Sohar Port in Oman with the UAE network was 40 percent complete in April 2026, Kuwait has appointed consultants for its first 111 km phase, and Saudi Arabia and Qatar have separately agreed a 785 km high-speed passenger line between Riyadh and Doha. The Gulf states have set December 2030 as the target for the network to be fully operational.

The GCC secretary-general said the agreement was an important step in strengthening Gulf integration in transport and in supporting shared economic development and prosperity across the region.