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Jordan and Abu Dhabi break ground on Aqaba mining railway

Jordan and Abu Dhabi break ground on Aqaba mining railway

Built World

The 403-kilometre line will move 16 million tonnes of phosphate and potash a year to the Port of Aqaba

October 22nd, 2026: Government committee meets to speed up railway approvals

Overview

Updated Oct 25

Jordan's King Abdullah II and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed broke ground at Aqaba on October 5 on a 403-kilometre railway from the country's phosphate and potash mines. Official announcements put the network at about $2.5 billion; the 360-kilometre agreement signed in July was for $2.3 billion.

Site work has started under a contract worth about $10 million for access roads and tunnel and bridge sites, and the developer, the Jordan-UAE Railway Company, expects main construction in early 2027 with a build of about five years. A government committee chaired by Transport Minister Nidal Qatamin met on October 22 to clear approvals faster. Officials expect the line to cut mineral transport costs by about $40 million a year and create some 5,000 jobs in southern Jordan.

Why it matters

Jordan's mining exports get a direct rail link to the sea, cutting transport costs and strengthening Aqaba's role as a regional trade gateway.

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Key Indicators

16 million tonnes
Annual transport capacity
Phosphate and potash moved from production sites to Aqaba for export. The Jordan-UAE Railway Company says the line is designed for about 13 million tonnes of phosphate and roughly 3 million tonnes of potash a year.
5,000
Jobs expected in southern Jordan
Posts the project is expected to create in the south, according to Jordanian officials and the railway company.
$10 million
Initial works contract
Awarded for access roads to railway sites and preparation at tunnel and bridge locations ahead of main construction.

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People Involved

King Abdullah II
King Abdullah II
King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
Witnessed the groundbreaking ceremony in Aqaba
 Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi
Attended the groundbreaking ceremony in Aqaba
 Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court of the UAE
Witnessed the signing of the railway agreement in July 2026
SN
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
President of the United Arab Emirates
Discussed the railway project with King Abdullah in a phone call
 Jafar Hassan
Jafar Hassan
Prime Minister of Jordan
Toured Aqaba's ports and called for expansion alongside the railway
 Ahmad Asasleh
Ahmad Asasleh
Director General, Jordan Maritime Commission
Expects the railway to cut vessel waiting times and improve cargo handling at Aqaba
MT
Mohammad Thneibat
Chair, Jordan-UAE Railway Company
Said main construction is due to begin in early 2027
NQ
Nidal Qatamin
Minister of Transport and Minister of Labour, Jordan
Chaired the October 22 meeting of the higher government committee for the railway

Organizations Involved

JR
Jordan-UAE Railway Company
Joint venture
Preparing construction sites; main works due in early 2027

Joint venture developing the Aqaba-Al Shidiya-Maan railway.
Etihad Rail
Etihad Rail
Railway operator
Executing arm for the Jordan railway project

Developer and operator of the UAE's national railway network.
HO
L'IMAD Holding
Sovereign investment company
UAE partner in the Jordan-UAE Railway Company

UAE sovereign investment company holding the UAE's 50% stake in the joint venture.
JM
Jordan Maritime Commission
Government agency
Regulates Jordan's ports; expects rail to improve Aqaba's efficiency

Jordan's maritime regulator and port authority for Aqaba.

Timeline

December 2023 October 2026

9 events Latest: October 22nd, 2026 · 3 weeks ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Government committee meets to speed up railway approvals

    Latest Government

    Transport and Labour Minister Nidal Qatamin chaired the higher government committee for the Aqaba-Shidiya-Ma'an project. Members agreed to coordinate through a single government interface and to meet regularly to clear obstacles.

  2. Railway company chair sets construction timetable

    Construction

    Jordan-UAE Railway Company chair Mohammad Thneibat said a contract worth about $10 million had been awarded for access roads and tunnel and bridge sites. He said main construction would start in early 2027 and take about five years, with annual volumes of 13 million tonnes of phosphate and about 3 million tonnes of potash.

  3. President Sheikh Mohamed and King Abdullah discuss railway project by phone

    Diplomacy

    The UAE President and Jordanian monarch reviewed the project and explored ways to deepen cooperation across developmental and economic fields.

  4. Prime Minister calls railway strategic for southern Jordan

    Government

    PM Jafar Hassan said the line will have significant economic and development impact on Jordan's southern governorates, create about 5,000 jobs, and cut phosphate and potash transport costs by around $40 million a year. He called it a key transport mega project for Jordan and the region.

  5. Maritime Commission expects port efficiency gains

    Logistics

    Jordan Maritime Commission said the railway should shorten vessel waiting times, improve berth turnover, and raise cargo handling at Aqaba. It stressed rail will add to trucking rather than replace it, calling the line a first step toward an integrated national and regional network.

  6. King Abdullah II and Sheikh Khaled break ground in Aqaba

    Groundbreaking

    Ceremony marks start of construction on the 403-km railway with 55 bridges and six tunnels.

  7. Prime Minister ties Aqaba port expansion to the railway

    Logistics

    Jafar Hassan toured Aqaba's ports and said port and logistics capacity should be developed alongside the railway, calling the planned Aqaba-Ma'an dry port a government priority.

  8. UAE and Jordan sign railway agreement, establish joint company

    Agreement

    Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed and Jordanian PM Jafar Hassan witness signing. Initial scope: 360 km at $2.3 billion.

  9. UAE and Jordan sign $5.5 billion investment agreement

    Agreement

    Broad investment framework signed in the presence of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and King Abdullah II.

Scenarios

1

Railway opens on schedule in 2031

Likely Resolves by Oct 5, 2031

Discussed by: Project planners and Jordanian officials

Construction proceeds on the planned five-year timeline. The railway begins moving phosphate and potash from Al Shidiya and Ghor Al Safi to the Port of Aqaba by late 2031, delivering the promised cost savings and job creation.

2

Construction delays push opening past 2031

Possible Resolves by Oct 5, 2031

Discussed by: Infrastructure analysts

Terrain challenges (six tunnels, 55 bridges), financing gaps, or political changes slow construction. The opening slips past the planned 2031 date, delaying the economic benefits.

3

Jordan announces next phase of national railway network

Possible Resolves by End of 2028

Discussed by: Jordanian officials and regional trade analysts

The Aqaba line is the first phase of a broader vision for a national and regional railway network. Jordan may announce extensions connecting other industrial zones or linking to regional networks, expanding the $5.5 billion investment program.

4

Line opens around 2032 on the company's timetable

Possible Resolves by End of 2032

Discussed by: Jordan-UAE Railway Company chair Mohammad Thneibat

Thneibat said main construction would begin in early 2027 and take about five years. Counted from that start, the line would carry commercial freight in 2032, a year later than the 2031 opening implied by a five-year build from the October 2026 groundbreaking.

Historical Context

3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

1900-1908

Hejaz Railway (1900-1908)

The Ottoman Empire built a railway from Damascus to Medina, passing through what is now Jordan. The line was designed to ease the pilgrimage to Mecca and strengthen Ottoman control over the region.

Then

The railway operated until World War I, when it was attacked and partially destroyed.

Now

It never fully recovered and now operates only in fragments. The new Aqaba line is the largest railway project in Jordan since the Ottoman era.

Why this matters now

Jordan's railway history dates to the Ottoman era. The Aqaba project is the first major rail investment in the country in over a century.

2009-present

Etihad Rail (2009-present)

The UAE began building its national railway network in 2009. Etihad Rail now operates across the country, connecting ports, industrial zones, and cities.

Then

The network has become a model for regional rail development in the Gulf.

Now

Etihad Rail is now the executing arm for the Jordan project, bringing its construction and operations expertise to a new market.

Why this matters now

The same company that built the UAE's railway will build and operate the Aqaba line, giving the project a proven operator.

2006-2015

Saudi Arabia North-South Railway (2006-2015)

Saudi Arabia built a long-distance railway to transport phosphate and bauxite from its interior to the Gulf coast, supporting the kingdom's mining sector.

Then

The railway began operations in 2015 and now moves millions of tonnes of minerals annually.

Now

It supported Saudi Arabia's industrial diversification and became a template for mineral-transport railways in the region.

Why this matters now

The Aqaba railway follows the same model: a mineral-transport line connecting inland mines to a port for export.

Sources

(18)
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The National Abu Dhabi Media Office Economy Middle East Forbes Middle East Jordan News Agency (Petra) Roya News Emirates 24|7 Semafor Jordan News Agency (Petra) Jordan Times Fana News (Petra) Railway Gazette International Abu Dhabi Media Office Jordan News Agency (Petra) The National Jordan News Agency (Petra) Jordan News Agency (Petra) Jordan News Agency (Petra)