Syria needs about 5.5 billion US dollars in investment to repair and upgrade its railways to international standards, according to Transport Minister Yarub Badr.
Badr said that only 1,052 kilometers of Syria’s 2,800-kilometer railway network are currently in service, estimating that it will take three to five years for the country’s transport infrastructure to return to full operation.
In an interview with CNBC Arabia on Sunday, October 19, 2025, the minister added that the current priority is fixing the corridor linking the phosphate mines to the export port in Tartus (a coastal governorate in western Syria) to bring it back online as soon as possible, in addition to reactivating the line between Latakia Port (western Syria) and the dry port in Aleppo (northern Syria).
According to Badr, getting these two corridors running will generate revenues that help rehabilitate the rest of the rail network. He noted the strategic importance of the main axis that connects Syria with neighboring countries, enabling Syria to reclaim its role as a regional transit hub.
The General Establishment of Syrian Railways has set an emergency short-term plan for immediate, minimal repairs alongside the restart of parts of the network, as well as a five-year plan for comprehensive rehabilitation that could be accelerated by leasing heavy machinery instead of purchasing it, he said.
The ministry aims to implement some projects under the BOT model (public-private partnership), in cooperation with specialized railway companies, Badr added.
Damascus Metro project
The minister said the “Damascus Metro” project, designed to link Damascus with its countryside (Rif Dimashq governorate) via a regional rail network, consists of two main lines intersecting at al-Hejaz Station (central Damascus), from which four branch lines would depart.
He added that the project is attracting strong interest from companies and that the ministry is currently evaluating the bids, expecting the metro to begin actual operations within four to five years under a BOT partnership with the private sector.
Badr also pointed to a 30-year renewal of the operating contract for Latakia Port with the French company CMA CGM, and a memorandum of understanding signed between “Dubai Ports” and Tartus Port to develop the port and improve its efficiency.
Regional transport cooperation
A trilateral Syrian-Jordanian-Turkish delegation met in Amman (Jordan) on September 11 to discuss strengthening regional cooperation in the transport sector and reviving transit traffic and rail connectivity.
At the time, Mohammed Omar Rahal, Syria’s Assistant Minister of Transport for Land Transport Affairs, called for activating road and rail linkage projects, especially the Hejaz Railway, and removing obstacles to transit movement while working to upgrade infrastructure.
Rahal stressed during the trilateral meeting that transport is no longer merely a means of passage but a key driver of the economy and stability, praising the strategic geographic location of Syria, Jordan, and Turkey, which makes them a natural bridge connecting east to west and north to south, creating opportunities for economic and trade integration, attracting investment, and expanding intra-regional trade.
CMA CGM partnership
On May 23, the General Authority for Land and Sea Border Crossings signed a strategic memorandum of understanding with the French company CMA CGM to establish and operate dry ports in the Syrian-Jordanian Joint Free Zone and in the Adra Free Zone in Rural Damascus (Damascus countryside).
According to the Authority’s statement at the time, the step aligns with its vision to develop logistics infrastructure and enhance the role of free zones as pivotal hubs for regional trade.
Earlier, on May 1, the Authority signed an agreement with CMA CGM at the People’s Palace in Damascus, in the presence of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
According to Ahmed Ali Mustafa, Director of Latakia Port, the new agreement sets a 30-year term with total investment of 230 million euros, of which 30 million euros will be injected in the first year.
Over the following four years, a new quay will be built at Latakia Port to international specifications, 1.5 kilometers long and 17 meters deep, at an investment value of up to 200 million euros.
Building this quay will allow large cargo vessels, currently unable to call at Latakia, to enter in greater numbers and will provide both the substructure and superstructure required to operate it.
After the fifth year, the investment is expected to mature and begin generating revenue over the subsequent 25 years.
CMA CGM is a French container shipping and logistics group. It is a leading global carrier operating 200 shipping routes between 420 ports in 150 countries.
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