lionheart

Another UAE pipedream, perhaps?
http://en.news.maktoob.com/200900006...13/Article.htm

Blue Cat

it's AD based, it will happen if it had been here I would be

brucebanner

Any Idea what the journey time between RAK to (Bur) Dubai would be then?

Google shows it as 50 miles, so I would say 1 hr?

Inselaffen

it will happen as its for commercial purposes

Millhouse

I met these guys a while back and a railway, of some form, will happen. Phase one, if you read the article, is an industrial link taking sulphur from oil fields in the empty quarter to the port - that makes sense ans so is under construction.

I very much doubt you will see a passenger service though as there are very few passenger railway routes in the world that do not require a subsidy.

shiva

the grand plan is a GCC wide freight system from oman and Fujeirah to Jordan and the med, Saudis are pretty keen as are Oman and the UAE, not so much the others.

Funny as the Saudi lines will effectively follow the same routes and lines that TH Lawrence blew up some time ago, They have just cottened onto the fact that freght rail is a pretty good idea almost a hundred years after they were blown up

shiva

as an aside and i doubt we will still be here but if we were i'd like to go by train from here to jordan. would be a good way to see the scenery whithout having to avoid every homicidal nutjob on the roads between them

Brains1983

this is definately happening, I've met with some of the execs at Union Railway who will be responsible for awarding the EPC contracts.

Phase 1 is purely cargo, Phase 2 will have limited passenger connections. Whether the dedicated passenger service goes ahead or not is not known though.