The GCC member states are pushing ahead with plans to develop an integrated railway network between Oman and Kuwait. Kevin Smith reports from the GCC Metro and Rail conference in Muscat where the leading lights in the GCC railway industry gathered to discuss progress and the challenges facing this mammoth project.

METRO Jeddah, which was set up in March 2013 to implement an entire public transport network in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, involving metro, light rail, rail, buses and water taxis, will hold a project briefing day for consultants, contractors and suppliers in Jeddah on March 30.

ONE of the first Siemens Avenio LRVs for Qatar's Education City light rail line has been transferred from Siemens' Simmering plant in Vienna to the nearby Rail Tec Arsenal climatic chamber for testing.

ETIHAD Rail, the developer and operator of the UAE's national railway network, has officially handed over the operations control centre in Mirfa to Etihad Rail DB, a joint venture between Etihad Rail and DB Schenker.

OMAN Rail has received bids from 11 consortia for the civil works contract for the first phase of its railway network, a 207km link from Sohar to Buraimi on the UAE border in the north of the sultanate, which makes up Oman's section of the GCC railway network.

TEL AVIV Metropolitan Mass Transit System (NTA) has issued an international tender notice for a contract to design and build tunnels and station boxes for the 24km light rail Red Line.

SAUDI Railway Company (SAR) has awarded a £120m five-year contract to provide operational management and technical support services on the North-South Railway to a British consortium of Serco Group, Network Rail Consulting, and railfreight operator Freightliner.

QATAR Railways sent a conditional letter of acceptance on February 20 to its preferred bidder for a turnkey contract to supply electrical and mechanical systems including rolling stock for the first phase of the Doha metro network.

ETIHAD Rail has signed an agreement with Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to cooperate on railway alignments, station locations, and to define contractural and operational requirements for both partiess as Etihad Rail progresses with the development of the second stage of the UAE's 1200km network.

OMAN's Ministry of Transport and Communications has awarded a consortium led by Spain's Tecnicas Reunidas a $US 149m contract for project management consultancy on the 207km first phase of Oman's proposed 2135km railway network.