Strategic partnership between DB and Qatar Railways enters a new phase

Deutsche Bahn, with its subsidiary DB International, is the major strategic partner in the development and construction of a transport network for the Emirate of Qatar in the Persian Gulf.

An important part of this project is the planned subway network in Doha, which will connect the airport with the city center and the soccer stadiums that will host the 2022 World Cup. This will greatly improve the transport situation in the capital.

The “Railways Steering Committee”, under the chairmanship of the Qatari Prime Minister, has been established for the organizational development and coordination of the entire project. The Qatar Railways Company (RAIL), the Qatari railway, has also been restructured. To shorten the decision-making processes, the tasks originally assigned to the planned Qatar Railways Development Company (QRDC) will in future be handled directly by Qatar Railways. The experts from DB International, who have already been working on site since 2008 on the development of the planned transport network, will be seconded to RAIL.

In addition, DB International is taking over the on-going engineering services, as well as the technical consulting and perspective training and qualification of the Qatari staff. The contract for these services was signed in Doha this week. “We are relying on the globally recognized know-how of Deutsche Bahn, and are looking forward to the continued collaboration with our partners from DB International,” said the CEO of RAIL, Saad Al Muhannadi. The Chairman of the Management Board of DB International, Niko Warbanoff, added: “The expertise of our German engineers is in great demand, and our on-site team is providing vital support for our Qatari partner.”

The next step of this ambitious project will be the international invitation to tender for the various project components.