Middle East
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NewsA1 rail link extension in Jerusalem approved
ISRAEL: The National Committee for Design & Construction of Infrastructure has approved proposals for an extension of Israel Railways’ direct A1 line under the centre of Jerusalem.
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NewsUAE rail services business launched
UAE: Facilities management company Emrill and rail recruitment and consultancy firm Clemtech have launched Emrill Rail, which aims to simplify working in the UAE by providing cost-effective technical resources and service delivery for all aspects of rolling stock and rail support activities. Dubai-based Emrill Rail will ...
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NewsBritish Steel for the Suez Canal on tracks
EGYPT: British Steel has won a multi-million-pound contract to supply 9 500 tonnes of rail from its Scunthorpe plant in the UK for use on the 250 km/h Green Line railway. This corridor will link Mersa Matruh on the Mediterranean coast with Alexandria, the New Administrative ...
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Metro Report InternationalRail skills and innovation collaboration
UAE: A strategic partnership to develop rail sector skills and innovation in the UAE and the wider region has been agreed by Dubai metro and tram operator Keolis MHI and the UK’s University of Birmingham, which has a campus in Dubai. Students will be offered internships ...
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Metro Report InternationalEasier ticket gates for Paris and Egypt
TICKETING: One of the 1 200 custom-designed ticket gates that Easier is supplying for the Grand Paris Express automated metro project was on show at the Transport Ticketing Global event in London. Sales Director Alain Combette told Metro Report International that the ...
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Metro Report InternationalHaifa – Nazareth light rail contract winner announced
ISRAEL: The Ministry of Transport & Road Safety and project promoter Trans Israel have selected the Group Three consortium of Alstom, Electra and Minrav for a PPP contract to finance, design and construct the railway systems and rolling stock for the Nofit Light Rail line and ...
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In depthIran: International connections take shape slowly
Work is progressing on various cross-border rail links as Iranian Railways seeks to strengthen its role as a Eurasian rail hub. Toma Bačić investigates.
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In depthMiddle East: Visions of an inter-continental corridor
Proposals for the development of an India – Middle East – Europe ‘economic corridor’ were announced at the G20 summit in September 2023, but many questions remain about how the project might be implemented. Raghu Dayal investigates.
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Metro Report InternationalBaghdad metro and Najaf – Karbala railway plans announced
IRAQ: The National Investment Commission has begun procurement for two contracts to design, finance, build, operate, maintain and transfer a seven-line metro network in Baghdad and a Najaf – Karbala railway. The US$2·5bn Baghdad metro plan envisages a seven-line network totalling 150 km and 64 stations ...
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NewsIsrael Railways places rolling stock orders
Source: CLOUDVIEW/Shabtai Tal/Israel Railways ISRAEL: Two orders for the supply of additional rolling stock totalling €1·7bn have been signed by Israel Railways. The first of the two agreements signed on January 22 is a €260m order for Alstom to supply a further 96 double-deck coaches, adding ...
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NewsSaudi Arabia Railways orders its next generation of inter-city trains
SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi Arabia Railways has signed contracts for Stadler to supply its next generation of passenger trains. The Swiss manufacturer said these would ‘elevate train travel in the kingdom to the next level in terms of passenger comfort, travel experience and reliability’. The contracts signed ...
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NewsDubai backs Karachi dedicated freight corridor plan
PAKISTAN: Plans to establish a dedicated rail freight corridor and economic zone near Karachi are included in two inter-governmental framework agreements signed by the governments of Pakistan and Dubai on January 17. The agreements cover plans for US$3bn+ of investment in railways, economic zones and infrastructure. ...
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NewsCzech suppliers target Middle East rail opportunities
INTERNATIONAL: Rail and urban transport manufacturers sought to identify opportunities in Middle Eastern markets during a trade mission organised by national rail industry association ACRI as part of Czech President Petr Pavel’s state visit to Qatar and Israel. ACRI Chief Executive Marie Vopálenská said there the ...
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Metro Report InternationalDubai considers elevated pod platoons
UAE: Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority has signed a memorandum of understanding to work with Urban.MASS on an operational pilot of its Floc Duo Rail concept for platoons of driverless electric pods running on an elevated track. Urban.MASS is now seeking funding for development and deployment ...
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NewsIsrael plans more railway network expansion
ISRAEL: The government has backed plans for expansion of the rail network and works to increase capacity and speeds on existing lines. On December 24 the government approved the quadrupling of the coastal line between Tel Aviv and Haifa, with two fast tracks suitable for 250 ...
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Metro Report International‘Truly unique’ history-inspired tramway to be built in Saudi Arabia
SAUDI ARABIA: The Royal Commission for AlUla has awarded Alstom a €500m contract to supply a ‘truly unique’ tramway inspired by heritage including the historic Hedjaz Railway. Alstom said the 22·4 km line would be the world’s longest catenary-free tramway, and will ‘encapsulate richness, history and ...
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Metro Report InternationalTel Aviv Green Line project reaches financial close
ISREAL: Financial close has been reached on the contract to design, build, finance and maintain the Tel Aviv light rail Green Line, project promoter NTA Metropolitan Mass Transit Systems and the TLV Metropolitan Tramway consortium announced on December 17. The European Investment Bank has agreed a ...
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NewsUIC launches Middle East Regional Competence Hub
UAE: The International Union of Railways’ Middle East Regional Competence Hub was officially launched at the University of Birmingham’s Dubai campus during the COP28 climate change conference. UIC is establishing Regional Competence Hubs around the world to bridge the gap between academic and professional knowledge and ...
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Metro Report InternationalParand metro extension inaugurated
IRAN: President Ebrahim Raisi inaugurated the Shahr-e Parand extension of a branch of Tehran metro Line 1 on November 30. Parand is a residential area with a population of 450 000, located 50 km southwest of central Tehran and 20 km west of Imam Khomeini International ...
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Metro Report InternationalThales to supply signalling, security and ticketing for Alexandria metro
EGYPT: Thales has been subcontracted to supply signalling, security and ticketing systems for the first metro line in Alexandria. The 21·7 km line is being developed by a consortium of Orascom Construction and Colas Rail under a €1·3bn contract awarded by the National Authority for Tunnels ...