Qatar Rail is planning to award the first section of its proposed $37bn rail contract in June 2012.
The projects include a high-speed long distance rail link, a driverless four-line Metro rail for Doha and freight lines, the West Bay People Mover and an overground rail system designed to ferry passengers around Doha’s tower district.
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Under the plan Qatar Rail will initially develop the Doha Metro Red Line which will run between Messaieed in the south with Al Khor in the north of the city.
The line will run through the heart of Doha city, with links to the New Doha International Airport while an underground tunnel will be built through the old city to Al Bidda and West Bay.
Qatar Rail deputy CEO Geoff Mee told constructionweekonline.com: "Phase one is the absolute minimum railway that we need for the World Cup. Phase one is geared around the very high population levels that are seen along the coast."
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"You are linking Lusail, the brand new development, to 220,000 people, the Pearl, to another 100,000 people, West Bay, on and around the Corniche, through central Doha and on to the airport," Mee said.
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By GlobalDataQatar Rail said it will start engaging with contractors for the projects early in 2012 and award first contract in June 2012 which includes utility diversions and also some advanced works for some of the station designs.
The civil works will be divided into five tunnelling contracts with each worth between $1bn to $1.5bn as well as two station contracts.
"Timescale for this is March with an indication that we will have let those contracts by September of 2012. And I already have the expressions of interest to create the shortlist for those people that will be invited," Mee said.
Qatar Rail had previously revealed a plan to build 212km of a metro rail network which will be mix of underground and on elevated tracks.
Out of the 212km rail network, about 42% (89km) will be constructed underground, more than 38% (81km) will be elevated and the remaining 20% (42km) will run on the ground, the Qatar Railways Company said.
The metro rail network is part of the Integrated Rail Network, which will have a long-distance passenger and freight rail route of about 490km, including nine passenger stations and six terminals.
The 135km-long first phase of the metro rail network will include 53km underground and 48km of elevated tracks and have 47 stations.
Qatar Rail is planning to build a metro rail line in eight years and the remaining will be built after 2022 FIFA World Cup by 2026.
