Q Life Magazine Q Magazine: A new chapter for growth | Page 20
national railway company Deutsche Bahn to produce
plans for a railway network in the country.
DB International, the international wing of Deutsche
Bahn, and Qatari Diar prepared conceptual designs for
the consolidated railway network development in Qatar.
A spotlight on: Qatar Rail
Qatar Rail was mandated with building a rail
system in Qatar from scratch, collaborating with
German company Deutsche Bahn since
the beginning of the project.
F
or 10 years, Qatar Rail’s
partnerships with leading
German businesses have fostered
not only economic ties, but also
contributed to knowledge-sharing
between the two countries.
Qatar Railways Company (Qatar
Rail) is currently leading one of
the largest rail projects in the world
– designing and developing the
country’s rail network from scratch
– to meet the demands of Qatar’s
growing population.
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The state-of-the-art railway network
will consist of Doha Metro, a
rapid transit system connecting
communities within Doha and its
suburbs; Lusail Tram, a service for
convenient travel within the new city
of Lusail, and Long Distance Rail.
Once these projects are complete,
Qatar Rail will then have the
responsibility to manage, operate,
and maintain them.
According to Abdulla Abdulaziz
Al Subaie, Managing Director and
CEO of Qatar Rail, once it is in
full operation, “Qatar Rail will
be a world-class railway company
providing safe, reliable and attractive
railway transportation services to the
cities of Doha and Lusail.”
The story of Germany’s involvement
in the Qatar Rail project is an
interesting one. In 2008, three years
before Qatar Rail was founded,
national development agency
Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment
(Qatar Diar) appointed the German
Many other German companies have won contracts with
Qatar Rail to provide a range of services like installation,
design, procurement management and the supply of
numerous items, including tunnel boring machines,
elevators, and crane cars. Their role in supporting the
development of this project is vital.
Mr Al Subaie said: “We are now in the most critical
phase of our construction programme. Ongoing works
include the installation of trackwork and railway systems,
mechanical and electrical plant and equipment and
architectural fit-out of stations.”
The integrated railway system will be affordable,
reliable and convenient. It will also be world-leading. For
example, once complete, Doha Metro will be one of the
fastest driverless trains in the world and the fastest in the
region, reaching speeds of 100 kilometres per hour.
As phase one of the Doha Metro project nears
completion, Qatar Rail is excited for the next phase of
the project and looks forward to continued partnerships
with German businesses.
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