A region of the world which is likely to see a lot of activity
in the rail sector is the Middle East and over the course of 2013
Train Times will include detailed articles on various
developments in the region. At the start of the New Year, it seems
appropriate to look ahead to see what 2013 (and the years that
follow) might have in store.
Qatar
With over US$41 billion of projects in the pipeline
(representing approximately a quarter of the total projects by
value in the region), Qatar is the jewel in the region's crown.
Much of the impetus for this has been provided by the award to
Qatar of the 2022 FIFA World Cup and this should lead to the
development of one of the most modern railway networks in the world
– the Doha Metro. If the full plans are implemented (and this
remains a live issue), the metro system would have an overall
length of 300 km and 98 stations. This compares with the London
tube network which is 402 km and 270 stations which gives an idea
of
