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Gulf Daily News reported that the decree was issued based on a proposal from the Prime Minister and with the approval of the Cabinet. The measure puts into effect an attached Railway Regulation Law that must align with international agreements, treaties and protocols applicable in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The legislation takes effect the day after its publication in the Official Gazette.
The decree requires the minister responsible for transport matters to issue implementing regulations and related decisions within one year of the law’s entry into force. Responsibility for executing the decree rests with the Prime Minister and individual ministers according to their portfolios. This timeline allows authorities to prepare detailed rules governing railway construction, safety and commercial operations.
Bahrain follows the example of other GCC states that have introduced dedicated railway legislation in recent years. Saudi Arabia enacted its Railway Law in March 2024 under Royal Decree No. M/159, according to a translation issued by the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers. The UAE put in place Federal Law No. 8 of 2020 on regulating railways, which seeks to develop a federal network consistent with international standards, the official UAE legislation portal stated.
The new Bahraini law is expected to support the kingdom’s role in the planned GCC railway network intended to improve freight and passenger movement among member states. Regional transport initiatives have gained pace following disruptions that highlighted the need for diversified logistics routes. A September 2026 assessment by AGBI noted that cross-border rail projects could ease pressure on existing trade corridors.
In a related development, Hafeet Rail, the joint venture between Etihad Rail, Oman Rail and Mubadala Investment Company, aims to conduct trial runs in the final quarter of 2027 on a 238-kilometre line linking Sohar Port in Oman to the UAE network, the AGBI report added. Construction on that project had reached 40 percent completion by April 2026. Such efforts illustrate the momentum behind rail integration across the Gulf region.
Specific operational details contained in the attached Bahraini law were not elaborated in the initial decree announcement carried by Gulf Daily News. The Ministry of Transportation will now focus on drafting the executive regulations over the coming months. No additional statements on construction timelines or investment plans have been released by authorities to date.
