Seoul GTX-A line
Country: Korea
Type: Commuter rail
Construction Start: 2019
Completion: 2024
Length: 39.8km
The initial 28km Dongtan - Suseo section of the new Great Train eXpress Line A (GTX-A) urban rail line in Seoul will open in March. Korea National Railway (KNR) completed the majority of construction in November 2023. Trains will operate at up to 180km/h on the new line. KNR is also responsible for building the 17.7km new-build section from Suseo to Samseong while the private SG Rail consortium, which is led by Shinhan Bank, is building the remaining 37.4km section from Samseong to Unjeong (Paju). The section from Unjeong to Seoul station is expected to open in the latter half of 2024 and the full line from Unjeong to Dongtan is expected to open by 2028. The line is one of three planned GTX regional lines. Line B will run from Incheon in the west via Seoul to Maseok in eastern Gyeonggi Province, and the first contract was due to be awarded last year.
Kuala Lumpur - Singapore high-speed line
Country: Malaysia/Singapore
Type: High-speed
Construction Start: Undecided
Completion: Undecided
Length: 350km
Cost: $US 17bn
In 2023, it was decided to revive the cancelled Kuala Lumpur - Singapore high-speed rail project and Malaysia’s MyHSR invited proposals from the private sector. The deadline for submissions to the Request for Information (RFI) was extended from November 2023 to January 15. MyHSR says participating firms and consortia are required to demonstrate technical expertise and their overall ability to develop and operate the railway and high-speed services with the required resources and within the budgeted cost, quality and time. They are also required to demonstrate viable commercial and business models as well as suitable frameworks for consortium and project governance.
Western Dedicated Freight Corridor
Country: India
Type: Main Line
Construction Start: 2016
Completion: 2024
Length: 1176km
Cost: $US 4.38bn
Following the completion of the 1337km Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) in October 2023, Dedicated Freight Corporation of India expects to complete the final three sections of the 1176km Western DFC this year. The 938km northern section of the Western DFC from Dadri to Sanand and the 238km section from Makarpur to New Gholvad have already been completed. The missing 138km section from Sanand to Makarpura is expected to open in March together with the 83km extension from New Gholvad to Vaitarna. The final 109km southern extension from Valtarna to Mumbai JNPT will open in December. The Western DFC is funded entirely by a Yen 645bn loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica). The DFCs will bring about a step change in rail freight operation in India. The new lines will have a maximum speed of 100km/h compared with 75km/h on the conventional network and a 32.5-tonne axleload compared with 22.5 tonnes. Double-stack container trains will be operated for the first time in India.
North-South Commuter Railway
Country: Philippines
Type: Commuter rail
Construction Start: 2023
Completion: 2028
Length: 147.26km
Cost: $US 15.8bn
Construction started last year on the North-South Commuter Railway, which will run from New Clark City via Clark International Airport and Manila to Calamba. CAF was awarded a $US 150m subcontract by Mitsubishi last month to supply seven eight-car EMUs to operate an express service on the line. The standard-gauge line is forecast to carry up to 600,000 passengers per day and will cut journey times substantially compared with road transport.
Oman - UAE railway
Country: Oman/UAE
Type: Main line
Length: 303km
Cost: $US 3bn
Oman Rail and Etihad Rail, United Arab Emirates, signed a $US 3bn agreement in September 2022 to design, construct and operate a 303km cross-border railway from the port of Sohar on the Gulf of Oman to UAE’s national network at Abu Dhabi via Al Ain. Passenger trains will operate at up to 200km/h while freight trains will operate at up to 120km/h. Oman Rail and Etihad Rail have formed a jointly owned company, Oman and Etihad Rail Company (OERC), to implement the project and operate the railway. OERC launched a prequalification tender in March 2023 for the civil works. Bidders were invited to prequalify by August 13 2023 for a tender to build stations, freight facilities and a rolling stock maintenance depot.
Tel-Aviv Green Line
Country: Israel
Type: Light rail
Construction start: 2019
Completion: 2028
Length: 39km
Cost: €2bn
The 39km Green Line will include a 4km underground section, and will connect Holon and Rishon LeZion in the south to the centre of Tel Aviv and Herzliya in the north. The line will have 62 stations, including four underground. The TMT consortium of Dan Buses Company, Electra, and Alstom was chosen by Metropolitan Mass Transit Systems (NTA) for a public-private partnership (PPP) to design, finance, construct and maintain the Green Line in early 2022. However, financial close of the €2bn contract was finally agreed on December 17 2023. The project is being financed by a consortium of the European Investment Bank (EIB) and two Israeli banks: Bank Hapoalim and Mizrahi Tefachot Bank. The financing agreement will enable TMT to start the second stage of construction, as well as manufacture 98 LRVs and systems. The line is expected to open in 2028 and carry 70 million passengers a year.
Saudi Land Bridge
Country: Saudi Arabia
Type: Main line
Construction Start: 2024
Completion: 2031
Length: 1330km
Cost: $US 7bn
A consortium of Italferr, Sener, and Hill International were confirmed in December as the preferred bidders for a project management services contract for the Saudi Landbridge project, IRJ understands. Bids for the contract were received by Saudi Railway Company (SAR) in October 2022 and the consortium has overcome rival proposals from Systra and a consortium of Parsons and Egis. With the project management contract now confirmed, local media reports suggest that SAR is preparing to start work early this year on the public-private partnership (PPP) project, which includes constructing a new 950km railway between Riyadh and Jeddah, as negotiations over the final cost and financing structure for the $US 7bn scheme near conclusion. The project itself involves a mixture of upgrades and new line construction and is expected to take seven years to complete.
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