The Kuwait Overland Transport Union (Kotu), which is running the project, estimates the metro will cost $7bn.

The project involves the construction of four metro lines, radically improving public transport in Kuwait City (see map).

The metro will be linked to the new national rail network, which is also expected to cost $7bn (MEED 2:11:07).

Spains's Ingenieria & Consul-toria de Transporte (Ineco) is expected to complete a feasibility study for the metro by the end of January. Ineco won the contract in June 2006 (MEED 23:6:07).

“We will have a conference in January or February 2008 inviting all interested parties to consider the study's findings,” says Saeed Dashti, chairman of Kotu.

Kotu is still to find sufficient corridors of land for the four tracks. “Ineco has said that about 35 per cent of the network will have to be underground,” says Dashti.

After the conference, the transport union will begin planning a tendering process.

The metro system and a new national rail network are scheduled to be completed in 2014.