SYRIA’s Ministry of Transport has allocated around $US 200m from a grant from the World Bank to fund a number of railway projects which should aid economic recovery.
This follows discussions in February between Syria's transport minister, Yarub Badr, and the World Bank's regional director for the Middle East, Jean-Christophe Carret, when they agreed on funding for the national railway.
Ali Asbar, director of land transport affairs at the Ministry of Transport, says the funding will be directed toward upgrading infrastructure, procuring new locomotives, repairing existing locomotives, and staff training.
The 1435mm-gauge network suffered extensive damage during the civil war in Syria, which lasted almost 14 years and came to an end in December 2024.
Asbar says that studies are underway to reactivate key lines, particularly those linking Syria with Turkey to the north and Iraq to the east. Lines connecting Mediterranean ports with inland freight terminals will be prioritised.
In the meantime, freight traffic is recovering. Syrian Railways (CFS) recorded an 81% increase in traffic in the first quarter of 2026 compared with the same period last year, carrying a total of 232,443 tonnes.
For more information on funding rail projects in Syria, see the May issue of IRJ Magazine.
