Experts are studying plans to establish railway tracks parallel to the King Fahad Causeway as part of the $10 billion GCC rail link that will also connect with the proposed Friendship Causeway between Bahrain and Qatar, said a report citing the Kingdom's transport minister.

The project is part of plans to build a $10 billion GCC rail link that will also connect with the proposed Friendship Causeway between Bahrain and Qatar, the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication, reported citing Kamal Ahmed.

GCC leaders have already approved the rail link, which is scheduled to be completed by 2018, the minister told Al Eqtisadia.

Ahmed said the railway track runs for 2,177km starting from Kuwait, going to Dammam city, then to Bahrain and Qatar.

He said there will also be a railway line from Dammam city to Qatar via the Salwa crossing point and to the UAE across Batha crossing point, Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Oman across Sahar.

He said work on the railway project will be expedited to complete it in the specified time frame.

The project will boost socio-economic and political relations among GCC members and contribute to attain economic integration amongst GCC citizens, the minister said.

The minister expressed hope that a permanent solution will be found to the problem of trucks carrying goods across the King Fahad Causeway.

He said Saudi Arabia and Bahrain are working to develop a system for smooth transport of goods across the King Fahad Causeway to curb the amassing of trucks.

They are also planning to provide warehousing space.

He said transportation of goods via the King Fahad Causeway is more economical than sea transport. He stressed the need to encourage land transport between both countries.

The minister said that Khalifa Bin Salman Port, which is managed by an international operator company, may invite applications from Saudi investors if they think sea cargo is economically more feasible for them.-TradeArabia News Service