THE government of Dubai has approved the Route 2020 project, which encompasses a 15km, seven station extension of the metro Red Line from Nakheel Harbour and Tower station to the site of Expo 2020.

DETAILED engineering and design for the next sections of the 2177km Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) rail network will be completed this year, says Mr Ramiz Al-Assar, senior transport specialist for the Middle East and North Africa with the World Bank's Sustainable Development Department.

THE managing director of Qatar Rail, Eng Abdulla Abdulaziz Al Subaie, confirmed that the first phase of Qatar's main line rail project will be launched this year.

CAF and Saudi Railway Company (SAR) will soon start testing the next generation of push-pull trains for Saudi Arabia's North-South line.

SAUDI Railways Organisation (SRO) has awarded a Riyals 160.2m ($US 42.7m) contract to China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) for the second phase of a project to upgrade the track on the freight line linking Riyadh, Harad and Dammam.

DUBAI Roads and Transport Authority has signed a five-year service level agreement with Thales to provide maintenance support services for the city's 75km driverless metro network.

SAUDI Railways Organisation (SRO) has awarded Talgo a contract worth around €200m to supply and maintain six 13-car diesel trains for Riyadh – Dammam services.

MEDINA Metro Development Authority (MMDA) has selected a consortium of Egis and Systra to carry out design studies for the planned 95km three-line metro network in the Saudi holy city of Medina.

Oman Rail is set to make huge strides on its inaugural railway project in 2015 as its first civil works contracts are awarded and construction gets underway. Kevin Smith reports from Muscat on progress so far.

QATARI Diar Vinci Construction (QDVC), which is carrying out construction of the four-line light rail network in the new Qatari city of Lusail, has awarded Thales a contract to deliver an integrated supervision, telecommunications, security and automatic fare collection system for the network.