Iraq Rail Plans: Baghdad metro and Najaf – Karbala railway plans - Rail plans from the Gulf to Europe via Turkey
A seven-line metro network in Baghdad and a Najaf - Karbala railway are being designed, financed, built, operated, maintained, and transferred by the National Investment Commission.
Baghdad's metro plan calls for seven lines totaling 150 km and 64 stations, as well as four depots, two control and management centers, and power generation facilities.
Second, a 90-km metro line will provide 'safe, large-scale, and fast' electric transportation for the millions of Shia pilgrims who visit the holy Shia cities of Najaf and Karbala.
From Najaf International Airport, the line would run to Najaf city center, Karbala International Airport, and then Karbala city center.
Dr Haider Mohamed Makiya, NIC President, said the two projects would reduce traffic congestion significantly.
Until March 12, tender documents can be purchased, and responses must be submitted by April 11. The proposal must include an economic feasibility study, project details, a funding plan, a completion timeline, and details of similar projects they have undertaken. Considering the previous studies for the two projects should be part of the proposals.
The government has appointed international consultants to examine the bids and advise on the project.
In addition to the Baghdad metro and Najaf - Karbala rail plans, Turkish Prime Minister Mohamed Shia Al-Sudani has unveiled plans for a rail and road corridor to Europe.
It is estimated that the project will cost US$17 billion, which will include a parallel road. The 1 200 km line was announced on May 27 during a conference with officials from Iran, Jordan, Syria, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Al-Sudani described the project as a pillar of a sustainable non-oil economy.
He invited the countries present to join the project, saying it would boost regional economic integration and create an important trade route for Iraq's neighbors.
Starting at the container port of Al-Faw in Basra, which is being expanded, the line would run to the Turkish border.
Al-Sudani did not specify whether the line would follow the existing alignments between Baghdad, Tikrit, and Mosul or whether it would follow new alignments parallel to the existing alignments.
The line would continue near the Syrian border crossing at Rabia, where a new alignment would be constructed to the Turkish border crossing at Ovaköy.
In addition to being primarily a freight corridor, the railway would also have 15 passenger stations.
Turkey will extend and modernize its existing line from Gaziantep and Nusaydin to Ovaköy by bypassing the existing rail route to Iraq that passes through northeast Syria.
The two countries had agreed to establish a technical committee between national railways TCDD and IRR to develop the existing Nusaybin – Qamişli (Syria) – Mosul line to carry six trains a day and enable regular freight services between Gaziantep and Baghdad and passenger services between Istanbul and Baghdad to resume.
