Railways as a Vital Means of Transportation in Iraq

Railways are considered one of the most important means of transportation in the world, and in Iraq, they represent a vital artery for development. Railway transport constitutes one of the fundamental infrastructures of the national economy through its contribution to the GDP of the transport sector. Iraq witnessed its first tramway line in 1869, established by the Ottoman governor Midhat Pasha in cooperation with the Baghdad–Kadhimiya Tramway Company. At that time, horses were used to pull the wagons, which were known as “al-Kari.”

Over time, Iraq became a global transit point in the field of railways, possessing a network that connected the country to Western and Central Europe as well as the Arabian Gulf. Iraq also sought to rehabilitate and expand its old network to serve as a new Gulf–Europe railway corridor.

However, after 2003, due to security instability, sabotage, deterioration of tracks and trains, insufficient financial allocations, and encroachments by citizens—such as building houses over transport lines and stealing large parts of them—this sector became a burden on the national economy instead of contributing to its revitalization. Today, railway services are limited to the Baghdad–Basra and Baghdad–Fallujah lines, operating from the Al-Alawi station in Baghdad. The remaining routes toward Mosul, Kirkuk, and Al-Qaim have been suspended for the reasons mentioned above. Consequently, the General Company for Railways in Iraq suffers from a major financial deficit due to the decline in revenues from freight and passenger transport. Although it was originally intended to be a self-financing profitable company, it has become dependent on subsidies provided by the Ministry of Finance.

Currently, the Iraqi government is called upon to recognize the importance of railway lines, as they represent the best alternative to oil revenues and can provide thousands of government and private-sector jobs that would stimulate the economy and support national development. The length of Iraq’s railway network is about 2,500 km. It is worth noting that the Iraqi government signed an agreement with the Iranian side to establish a railway line (Kermanshah–Khosravi–Khanaqin–Baghdad) linking Iran with Iraq and extending to Syria. Former Iraqi Minister of Transport Baqir Al-Zubaidi announced that the agreement also includes the construction of a line connecting Basra with Shalamcheh (a border crossing with Iran), spanning 32.5 km. He highlighted that the importance of this project lies not only in facilitating the transport of passengers and goods but also in linking Iraq with many countries as part of a modern extension of the ancient Silk Road that once connected East Asia with the West, passing through Iraq, Iran, and China.

Another significant project that has attracted government attention is the highway railway line linking Iraq with the Syrian and Turkish borders. The basic designs for this project have been assigned to the Danish company COWI, while implementation is to be carried out by a Chinese company. This project is considered strategically vital for the Iraqi economy, as it will facilitate transport, transit, and trade between Iraq, the Levant, and Europe. However, these agreements have not yet seen actual implementation.

In light of the above, there is a pressing need to develop the railway transport sector in Iraq and ensure it keeps pace with global technological advancements in this field. This requires modernizing and expanding railway lines and rolling stock, in addition to formulating effective strategic plans compatible with current capacities and drawing upon the experiences of advanced countries. Iraq is in urgent need of an efficient railway system, particularly with the growing population, which has led to severe congestion on the roads and their inability to accommodate such density.