The construction of a multibillion-dollar long-distance railway connecting all six GCC countries could take between six and eight years, said a report.

The first phase of the project could start in Qatar but the system has to be compatible with all six GCC countries, reported The Gulf Times, citing AbuIssa chairman Ashraf AR Abu Issa.

“It depends when will the Gulf countries give the go-ahead. From the time they start and get approvals and build the tracks to have a complete solution, it will need six to eight years,” he noted.

Abu Issa was speaking on the sidelines of an agreement signing between the Gulf Organisation for Industrial Consulting (GOIC) and China Railway Signal and Communication Corporation (CRSC) on Wednesday to boost the development and construction of rail transit lines in the Gulf area.

A provider of technologies, products and services in rail transportation signalling and communication, CRSC is the largest supplier of rail transportation control system solutions in the world.

About the speed of the trains, he noted that they can go up to 350 kph, meaning it will take a two-hour non-stop travel from Doha to Kuwait, and about 40 minutes from Doha to Bahrain.

The chairman added that this speed is the fastest so far, a record the Chinese have achieved. The trains can run to a maximum of 380 kph, stated the report.

Putting up a link between the long-distance railway system and the Doha Metro through the main stations is part of the masterplan, it added.