Transport in Kuwait

As an oil rich nation, transport in Kuwait is largely road-based with one car for every 2.25 people. Bus services make up Kuwait's entire public transport network as the country currently has no rail infrastructure. Several railways have been planned for many years but no plans have materialized, including a metro for Kuwait City. Kuwait has several maritime ports along the Persian Gulf. There are seven airports, the largest of which and solely allocated for civil use is Kuwait International Airport.

Railways

Overview

Kuwait does not have railways, although increasing congestion on the country's roads has led to several railway projects being planned.[1] Kuwait City would form one terminus of the proposed Gulf Railway, a 2,000 km (1,200 mi) railway network which will run from Kuwait to Oman, via cities across the Persian Gulf.[2]A four line, 171 km (106 mi), metro network within Kuwait city is also in the planning stages.[3][4] A privately owned railway track of unknown length is proposed as part of a park project called "The Boulevard". This park is opened in April 2016, but the railway project did not materialize. [5]

Metro
Main article: Kuwait Metropolitan Rapid Transit System Project

The Kuwait Metropolitan Rapid Transit System Project is a planned four-line metro network which will total 160 km with 69 stations.[6] It has been subject to many delays and, as of September 2017, has not started construction.

Road transport
Main article: Roads in Kuwait

As a nation with one car per 2.25 people,[7] Kuwait relies heavily on its road network for transportation. The total length of paved and unpaved roads was 6,524km in 2009.[8] Traffic congestion is common throughout the day, particularly in Kuwait City.[9]

As there are no railways, the country's public transport network consists entirely of bus routes. The state-owned Kuwait Public Transportation Company was established in 1962. It runs local bus routes across Kuwait as well as longer distance services to other Persian Gulf states.[10] The main private bus company is CityBus, which operates about 28 routes across the country.[11] Another private bus company, Kuwait Gulf Link Public Transport Services, was started in 2006. It runs local bus routes across Kuwait and longer distance services to neighbouring Arab countries.[12]

Ports and harbors
The Ash Shu'aybah port

Kuwait lies on the Persian Gulf and ports include: Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Kuwait, Mina' 'Abd Allah, Mina' al Ahmadi, Mina' Su'ud

Merchant marine


total: 38 ships (1000 GT or over) 2,294,233 GT/3,730,776 DWT
ships by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 1, container 6, liquefied gas 5, livestock carrier 4, petroleum tanker 20
foreign-owned: 1 (Iran 1)
registered in other countries:29 (Bahrain 3, Comoros 1, Liberia 1, Libya 1, Panama 2, Qatar 7, Saudi Arabia 6, UAE 8) (2005)

Airports
Main article: List of airports in Kuwait
  • 7 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways
  • Total: 4
  • over 3,047 m: 1
  • 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  • 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

Airports - with unpaved runways
  • Total: 3
  • 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  • under 914 m: 2 (2005)

Heliports

National Airline

See also

References
  1. Kuwait Metro System, Kuwait City, Kuwait, railway-technology.com, retrieved 16 March 2013
  2. "Single rail network to link Kuwait & Oman by 2017". Visit Kuwait. Retrieved 16 March 2013.
  3. Railway Gazette International July 2008 p409 with map
  4. "Kuwait finalising ambitious metro plans". Railway Gazette International. 22 May 2008.
  5. Project Overview, archived from the original on 30 November 2010, retrieved 18 January 2016
  6. "Kuwait metro procurement to begin soon". Railway Gazette International. 21 February 2012.
  7. "TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS". Bureau of Consular Affairs. Archived from the original on 16 February 2013. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
  8. "Roads, total network (km)". World Bank. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
  9. "Kuwait's traffic nightmare – MPW sees hurdles in executing projects". Kuwait Times. 6 December 2012. Archived from the original on 9 December 2012. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
  10. "Public Transport Services". Kuwait Public Transportation Company. Archived from the original on 29 April 2013. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
  11. Arab Times http://www.arabtimesonline.com/RSS/tabid/69/smid/414/ArticleID/169182/Default.asp. Retrieved 17 March 2013. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  12. "Public Transport Services". KGL. Archived from the original on 2 February 2011. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  13. "Middle East :: Kuwait — The World Factbook - Central Intelligence Agency". www.cia.gov. Retrieved 19 March 2019.

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