Oman Rail Company has invited 18 prequalified groups to bid by 21 December for the contract for the first design and build package of the sultanate’s national railway network.

Oman Rail Company is also tendering the railway’s systems and technology.

The first section of the rail network is 207 kilometres of double-track, mixed freight and passenger non-electrified railway line.

The first section, known as Sector A, is 127km linking Sohar to the Oman/UAE boarder at Al-Buraimi and Al-Milahah. It includes two 2.94km-long tunnels, two 0.33km-long cut and cover sections, and 51 viaduct sections totalling 16.7km. For buildings, there are three stations, one depot, one maintenance facility, four freight terminals and three maintenance centres.

Sector B is 34km linking Sector A with Al-Buraimi station. It has two 1.86km-long tunnel sections and nine viaduct sections totalling 6km. For buildings, there are two stations, one maintenance facility, and two freight terminals.

Sector C is 38km linking Sector A to the Port of Sohar. It will have eight viaduct sections totalling 3.1km, one depot and two freight terminals.

There will also be 8km of junctions linking Sector A to Sectors B and C with four viaduct sections totalling 1.9km.

Oman’s rail overall network involves the construction of a 2,244-km-long network that will ultimately connect Oman’s major ports and cities, including Muscat, Sohar, Duqm and Salalah, in addition to linking with the Etihad Rail project.

In August 2013, Italian state railway group Italferr was awarded a €28m ($37.3m) contract for the consultancy services for the preliminary design of the planned national railway.