Contracting groups have submitted technical bids for the second phase of the UAE’s national rail network.

The second phase of the project, which will connect Abu Dhabi with the Saudi border and Dubai, has been tendered before, with bids submitted in November 2012.

Following prolonged negotiations and a change in the design, including dropping a link to Al-Ain that would connect to the Omani rail network, the project was retendered earlier this year.

The original scope for phase 2 involves building rail lines in Abu Dhabi emirate between Ghuweifat and Ruwais, a link to Al-Ain, and a line to Jebel Ali in Dubai. It also included a branch line between Mussafah and Industrial City Abu Dhabi.

The dropping of the link to Oman in phase 2 has been downplayed by Oman Rail, which is also understood to be currently in negotiations with two Italian-led consortiums for the first segment of its national railway project.Construction work for the Sohar-Buraimi rail segment is expected to begin by end 2015.

Two groups had been shortlisted for the phase 2 contracts when they were previously tendered. The two groups were:

• Salini Impregilo (Italy) / Samsung C&T (South Korea) / Tristar (local)
• China Railway Construction Company (China ) / Ghantoot Group (local)