SAR Opens Tender for GCC Railway Design Consultancy

The Saudi Railway Company (Saudi Arabia Railways – SAR) has issued a request for proposals for a design management and review consultancy to advance work on the Saudi section of the Gulf Cooperation Council railway network. The tender, numbered 799765, was issued on 9 September 2026, with bids due by 18 October 2026 through SAR's own online supplier portal.

The consultancy covers the Saudi portion of the network, which spans about 672 km within the wider 2,177 km GCC rail system that will link all six Gulf states. The work focuses on reviewing, updating, and completing existing preliminary designs across the concept design, preliminary design, and Issued for Construction (IFC) stages.

Rather than producing the designs directly, the selected consultant will manage, audit, and verify the deliverables prepared by SAR's separate design services consultant. Responsibilities include governance and interdisciplinary coordination, stage-gate approvals under a design management and review plan, stakeholder engagement, interface management, and oversight of land acquisition activities. Typical technical tasks described cover route alignment optimization, detailed design and tender documentation, technical and operational assessments, and the integration of railway systems and infrastructure.

The tender is part of ongoing procurement to advance the GCC railway link that is planned to run from Kuwait to the UAE border across Saudi territory. A separate design services consultancy tender for the project is already in progress.

For residents and businesses across the Kingdom, the project points to future rail connectivity that could reshape regional travel and freight movement between Saudi Arabia and neighbouring Gulf states, supporting long-term transport and logistics goals.

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