Wasim al-Adawi, Mohammed Jaffal, Ghena Jabr
Syria’s transport sector has seen a decline in infrastructure and in its overall economic role, while the country’s ability to preserve its traditional position as a trade corridor linking Asia with Europe and Gulf states with the Mediterranean has weakened.
Before the war, Syria was a main transit point for regional traffic through a broad network of land roads and railway lines extending from north to south and east to west, in addition to seaports that played an important role in import and export activity.
During the war, financial and administrative corruption affected all transport facilities and infrastructure, alongside unstable security conditions.
Syria’s land and maritime transport sector faces complex and overlapping challenges that obstruct the restoration of its operational efficiency, including security, technical, administrative, financial, and logistical dimensions.
Restarting this sector requires huge investments and long-term reconstruction plans, but work done in the sector has shown the absence of a parallel plan to rehabilitate road and railway infrastructure, compared with agreements and investments in the maritime sector worth billions of dollars.
Enab Baladi sheds light in this file on the opportunities, challenges, plans, investment volumes, and points of weakness and strength in the reality of Syria’s transport sector today.
Capabilities, Damage, and Opportunities on Land Roads
Under the former regime, most sectors in Syria suffered from neglect and poor planning, and the transport sector was one of them. This included land roads, seaports, railways, and airports.
The total length of Syria’s main and secondary road network reaches about 73,855 kilometers, according to the Candle Center for Studies. In 2010, the length of the main road network that lacked international standards reached about 9,058 kilometers.
Land roads and border crossings form the backbone of transport and trade movement in Syria. According to the Candle Center, the M4 and M5 roads are vital arteries in Syria because they connect major cities and with neighboring countries, and they play an important economic and strategic role in linking Asia with Europe.
But most of Syria’s road network remained in the same condition it had been in since the 1970s and 1980s, without new investments or development. This made Syria one of the Middle Eastern countries with the highest number of traffic accidents and related deaths, with the number reaching 1,653 deaths in 2004 and more than 2,200 deaths in 2005, continuing to rise in the following years.
Important Roads in Syria
- M5: An international road linking the Jordanian border, the Nasib crossing, in the south, with the Turkish border, the Bab al-Salama crossing, in the north. It passes through Daraa, Damascus, Homs, Hama, and Aleppo, and is considered Syria’s most important highway, extending about 450 kilometers.
- M4: A transit road linking eastern Syria with western Syria, extending from the Iraqi border, the al-Yarubiyah crossing, in the east to Latakia on the Mediterranean coast. It passes through Hasakah, Raqqa, Aleppo, Idlib, and Latakia. It is considered a strategic route linking raw material areas in eastern Syria with industrial and coastal areas. There is no study determining its length because of its many branches.
- M1, Homs to Latakia: Links Homs with the coast, passing through Talkalakh, Tartus, and Baniyas until reaching Latakia, and is about 174 kilometers long.
- M2, Damascus to Beirut: Links the capital, Damascus, with Beirut through the Masnaa crossing, and is about 38 kilometers long inside Syrian territory.
- Homs, Palmyra, al-Tanf road: Extends eastward to link Homs with the Iraqi border. It is a vital strategic road, about 351 kilometers long.
- Damascus, Palmyra road: Links the capital with central Syria.
- Aleppo, coast road: Links Aleppo with the cities of Latakia and Tartus.
Opening of the Jisr al-Qamar border crossing and launch of passenger movement between Syria and Lebanon, May 4, 2026. (Syrian General Authority for Ports and Customs)
Wide Fragmentation and Destruction
As infrastructure efficiency declined, transit movement shrank significantly compared with its level before 2011, and the transport sector’s ability to support commercial and economic activity decreased, while large parts of land and railway networks went out of service or began operating with limited capacity.
Syrian academic and economic researcher Dr. Yasser al-Hussein believes that the reality of transport in Syria today can be described as “a system that has emerged from partial fragmentation but has not yet reached integration,” noting that the war caused extensive destruction to transport infrastructure, resulting in:
- Weak connectivity between governorates.
- Declining road quality.
- The near-total halt of some forms of transport, especially railways.
Al-Hussein told Enab Baladi that these factors have economically led to higher transport costs, lower productivity, and weaker logistical efficiency, making the Syrian economy “operate below its capacity.”
In this reality, the transport sector faces accumulated challenges linked to the difficulty of regular maintenance, the lack of technical capabilities, and the high cost of rehabilitation, as well as varying security and administrative conditions from one area to another. This makes the file one of the most complex at the level of infrastructure and services in Syria.
The transport system has emerged from the stage of partial fragmentation imposed by years of war, but at the same time it has not yet reached a state of integration or full structural recovery.
Dr. Yasser al-Hussein
Academic and economic researcher
After the War, Uneven Operation and Efficiency
Land roads and border crossings form the backbone of transport and trade movement in Syria, but their current reality reflects a clear disparity in operating levels and efficiency between one area and another, due to the political and field transformations the country has witnessed in recent years.
On the southern border, the Nasib crossing with Jordan is considered one of the most prominent currently operating crossings. It sees relatively continuous freight and trade movement and is used as one of the main outlets for linking with regional markets, especially toward the Arabian Gulf.
On the Lebanese border, the Jdeidat Yabous and al-Dabousiyah crossings continue to operate regularly, with the movement of people and goods continuing despite varying congestion and regulatory procedures from time to time. Other crossings, according to the Syrian General Authority for Ports and Customs, do not rise to the level of pivotal transit routes:
- Al-Arida crossing, northern border: Links Syrian Tartus with Lebanon, and is currently designated for pedestrians and some special cases.
- Jisr al-Qamar crossing: Located in the Wadi Khaled area. Work was recently resumed there, and it is designated for private vehicles and light freight.
- Talkalakh crossing: Links rural Homs with northern Lebanese Tripoli, and is designated for vehicles and pedestrians.
- Jousiya crossing: A modest crossing linking rural al-Qusayr with Baalbek.
In northern Syria, a group of crossings with Turkey operates under different operating patterns. The Bab al-Hawa crossing stands out as one of the most important active crossings in international trade and humanitarian transit, alongside other crossings whose levels of activity vary according to field and organizational conditions. Meanwhile, the Qamishli, Nusaybin crossing remains out of service, limiting direct connectivity in the northeast, alongside the following crossings:
- Bab al-Salama, Kilis, which is used for trade, light and heavy freight, and passengers.
- Al-Rai, which serves as a gateway for travelers, trade, and active humanitarian supply in northern rural Aleppo.
- Jarablus, a commercial and civilian crossing linking the Jarablus area with Turkey.
- Al-Hamam, a pedestrian crossing that is relatively halted.
- Tal Abyad, for pedestrians and light commercial movement.
- Kassab, used for visits and some limited commercial movement.
In the east and northeast of Iraq, the al-Yarubiyah and al-Tanf crossings were reopened in the past period under different operating arrangements, with the movement of goods and oil shipments recorded through the al-Tanf crossing toward the Syrian interior and then to Baniyas Port, while activity through al-Yarubiyah remained relatively limited.
The al-Qaim, al-Bukamal crossing represents a main outlet for land trade exchange, goods transport, and the movement of passengers and trucks between the two countries. There is also the Semalka river crossing, which links Iraqi Kurdistan with Syria’s Hasakah and is designated for civilians, humanitarian cases, and humanitarian aid. It was recently reopened and is vulnerable to weather conditions.
At the level of international roads, the M4 road remains one of the most important land axes in the country. It has recently seen partial reopening in some sections, especially in the countryside of Raqqa and Hasakah, allowing a relative return of transport movement between the east and west of the country, despite the continued need for wide maintenance and rehabilitation work in multiple sections.
Dr. Yasser al-Hussein believes that damage to international roads and crossings led to “the fragmentation of the domestic market, due to higher transport costs and price disparities between regions,” noting that transport is a basic component of the final price of goods, and therefore, higher transport costs lead to inflation caused by increased costs.
Scale of Decline and Revival of Transit Movement
Al-Hussein considered that reopening some crossings contributed to improving the flow of goods and easing pressure on markets, but the continued differences in fees and procedures and the failure to unify policies between crossings led to:
- Higher transaction costs.
- The creation of an unstable and high-risk operating environment for investors and transport companies.
These indicators show the scale of decline that affected Syria’s role as a regional land corridor, as transit movement fell significantly compared with its level before 2011, when the country formed a basic route for goods between Asia and Europe. This was reflected in revenues linked to the transport sector and in commercial activity connected to crossings and international roads.
The land road network also faces additional challenges related to damaged infrastructure, high transport and freight costs, difficulty of regular maintenance, and the heavy pressure placed on some roads because they were used as alternatives to routes that went out of service during the war years.
The branch of the General Establishment for Road Transport in Idlib carries out emergency maintenance on main and international roads, April 22, 2026. (Syrian Ministry of Transport/Facebook)
Railways, Agreements, and a Historic Network Out of Service
Syria’s railway sector is one of the oldest transport networks in the region, as a large part of it was established in the late 19th century before later expanding to link major cities, ports, and industrial and agricultural areas. For decades, this made it a basic means of transporting passengers and goods in large quantities and at a relatively low cost.
Before 2011, the railway network extended across main routes linking Aleppo, Damascus, and Daraa, alongside lines connecting the Syrian interior with seaports on the coast, as well as branch lines that served agricultural areas and industrial production centers.
The length of freight train lines linking Aleppo with Raqqa and Deir Ezzor, and Palmyra with Homs and Tartus, totaled 2,850 kilometers.
According to a study by the Syrian Ministry of Transport at the end of December 2024 titled “Indicators and Figures in the Railway Sector,” Syrian trains carried more than 3.5 million passengers annually between major cities in 2010.
They also transported more than eight million tons of goods, most notably phosphate from Palmyra and the Homs desert to Tartus Port, in addition to exporting small quantities of goods outside Syria, mostly to Turkey, through the railway line connecting Aleppo with the Meidan Ekbis crossing on the Syrian-Turkish border.
By contrast, information issued by the Ministry of Transport indicates attempts to restart parts of the railway network, especially routes connected to commercial movement and goods transport.
However, these efforts are still described as partial and limited compared with the scale of damage and actual needs, as they often depend on temporary solutions aimed at restarting the minimum level of infrastructure rather than carrying out comprehensive reconstruction.
A Nearly Halted Sector
Currently, the railway sector can be described as nearly halted. Most passenger and freight lines have stopped, and the sector has lost its operational role, which had formed an important part of the internal transport system. The decline is not limited to the lines alone, but also includes the accompanying operational infrastructure, such as maintenance workshops, repair stations, and signaling and control systems, many of which were damaged or completely stopped, leading to the collapse of the network’s overall operational capacity.
Syrian academic and economic researcher Dr. Yasser al-Hussein warned that the halt of railways does not represent a mere sectoral defect, but rather “a structural imbalance in the economy,” explaining that railway transport is less costly than land transport and supports the movement of large quantities of goods. Its halt, therefore, led to an increase in the average cost of transport and freight.
He added that the absence of railways increased pressure on land roads, after trucks became the main means of transport. This caused accelerated road deterioration, higher traffic accident rates, and weaker economic connectivity between Syrian governorates.
Agreements Link the Gulf to Europe Through Syria
Syria is a central axis in regional railway connection projects, as it seeks to become a link between the Arabian Gulf and Europe through its territory.
Its importance is highlighted by the Aqaba Port railway project, as the UAE and Jordan signed an agreement on April 15 to begin actual procedures for implementing the project, which extends north toward Syrian territory to link the Jordanian port with Mediterranean ports through Syria and Turkey, reaching Europe.
Syria also participates in a regional plan with Turkey and Jordan to modernize railway networks and create a corridor linking southern Europe with the Arabian Gulf. The project is expected to be completed within four to five years, according to statements by the Turkish transport minister to Bloomberg, with the possibility of later connecting it to Saudi Arabia’s railway network, strengthening Syria’s role as a main land bridge in the region.
In this context, Turkey is working to extend the railway line to Aleppo, in a step that revives the historic Hejaz Railway and restores Syria’s traditional role as a regional transit hub.
In this framework, Saudi Minister of Transport and Logistics Services Saleh al-Jasser expected the joint studies for the railway connection project between Saudi Arabia and Turkey, passing through Jordan and Syria, to be completed before the end of the current year. This would enhance regional integration, support trade movement, and develop a sustainable land transport system between countries in the region.
Meanwhile, the Syrian General Establishment of Railways signed a memorandum of understanding with the Qatari company Future Union to strengthen Arab cooperation and exchange expertise in railway transport.
The memorandum aims to cooperate on developing and operating railway projects and their requirements, in addition to studying the possibility of establishing new lines, supplying modern and advanced trains, and exchanging technical, engineering, and technological expertise.
An agreement between Turkey, Syria, and Jordan to modernize railway networks to create a connected land corridor linking southern Europe with the Arabian Gulf within four to five years.
Abdulkadir Uraloğlu
Turkish Minister of Transport and Infrastructure
Statements to Bloomberg, April 2026
The Syrian General Establishment of Railways also announced accelerated moves to reopen the railway line linking the Turkish border with the Iraqi border through Hasakah Governorate, to stimulate transit movement across Syrian territory and strengthen economic activity.
Five Years to Rehabilitate Railways
Locally, the Aleppo, Damascus train was operated on a trial journey between Aleppo and Hama for the first time in 13 years, while the Railway Directorate set a goal to operate the Aleppo, Homs line, then move gradually toward Damascus, Latakia, and the eastern region, reaching Gaziantep in Turkey.
Syrian Minister of Transport Yarub Badr said that only 1,052 kilometers are currently operating out of a 2,800-kilometer railway network. He expected that Syria needs three to five years for all transport infrastructure to return to operation, while estimating the cost of rehabilitating the railways alone at $5.5 billion.
A Syrian government delegation tours the railway sector in Hasakah to inspect it and discuss reactivating it, April 13, 2026. (Ministry of Transport/Facebook)
Syrian Ports to Compensate for Land Disruption, Activity, and Investments
Syria’s seaports form one of the main components of the transport sector because of their role in linking the country with regional and international markets through the Mediterranean. However, this sector was also affected in recent years by economic and operational challenges that were reflected in performance levels.
Technically, the railways suffer from major deterioration in the engineering structure of tracks and lines, in addition to the absence of modernization in operating systems, locomotives, and wagons. This means restarting the sector requires huge investments and long-term reconstruction plans, which pushed the new Syrian administration to focus on Syrian ports.
Gradual Activity and Challenges
The maritime transport sector includes the ports of Latakia and Tartus, which form the two main sea outlets for import and export activity. Although they continued operating over the past years, activity in them witnessed a clear fluctuation in terms of the number of ships, container volumes, and operational efficiency.
Goods movement in Latakia and Tartus ports fell for all these reasons by between 35 and 40% in the first eight months of 2011 compared with the previous year, according to a Reuters report titled “Syria’s ports suffer fallout from unrest hitting economy.”
In this context, Mazen Alloush, director of public relations at the Syrian General Authority for Ports and Customs, revealed to Enab Baladi that a gradual rise has been recorded in the number of ships docking at Syrian ports, including container ships and general cargo vessels, as well as oil tankers at the Baniyas oil terminal.
According to Alloush, the ports have become able to receive multiple types of ships after years of decline, with ships carrying relatively large loads entering, reflecting improved operational readiness and infrastructure. The container terminal at Latakia Port is currently witnessing noticeable activity and increasing operational movement, as an indicator of improved work pace and the recovery of commercial activity through the port.
The ports have become able to receive multiple types of ships after years of decline, with ships carrying relatively large loads entering, which reflects improved operational readiness and the gradual development of infrastructure.
Mazen Alloush
Director of Public Relations at the Syrian General Authority for Ports and Customs
Equipment, operational infrastructure, and capacity in the ports sector were affected by varying degrees of damage after years without development, which was reflected in maritime freight and the land transport linked to it, despite the continued basic operation of the ports.
According to the crossings relations director, the plan includes:
- Rehabilitating infrastructure at Latakia and Tartus ports, maintaining equipment and machinery, and developing work yards and operating systems.
- Training human resources, updating maritime legislation, and strengthening integration with regional ports, with a vision to reposition Syria as a logistics hub in the eastern Mediterranean.
By contrast, Syrian academic and economic researcher Dr. Yasser al-Hussein believes that fluctuations in port operations and weak connections between ports and the Syrian interior lead to “logistical bottlenecks,” including delays in unloading goods, port congestion, and higher freight and internal transport costs.
He added that the problem is not linked to ports alone, but to the weak connectivity between ports and internal transport networks, especially roads and railways. This lowers supply chain efficiency and makes ports operate below their actual capacity.
Despite these challenges, Syrian ports remain an important anchor in the transport sector because of their geographic location on the Mediterranean. However, their ability to play a greater regional role remains linked to developing the land and railway networks connected to them, and improving logistical infrastructure and operational services.
Investments Exceed $1 Billion
Regarding agreements signed by the Syrian General Authority for Ports and Customs with external parties, Mazen Alloush, the authority’s director of public relations, told Enab Baladi that there are only three partnerships:
The first agreement: Operating the container terminal at Latakia Port with the French company CMA CGM for 30 years, with an investment volume of 230 million euros. The agreement gives the French company responsibility for managing and operating the container terminal, while the state retains the right to oversight and evaluation.
According to Alloush, an escalating mechanism was established for profit distribution, as the state’s share of revenues will rise as handling volumes and container numbers increase. Under the agreement, the state’s share begins at a certain level and then gradually rises until it reaches 70%, compared with 30% for the operating company. All operating expenses will be the company’s responsibility, ensuring the greatest possible economic benefit for the state.
The second agreement: Managing and operating Tartus Port with DP World, with an investment volume of $800 million for 30 years. The group has already begun its operational activities inside the port.
The first phase of the development program includes assessing existing infrastructure and equipment, deepening maritime channels, basins, and berths, rehabilitating and replacing handling equipment, introducing advanced digital technologies, and implementing training programs for national cadres to raise operational efficiency and achieve approved international standards.
The port also saw the new Syrian tugboat al-Fath enter service, with a length of 22 meters and a pulling power of 50,000 tons. It is equipped with water cannons for firefighting and several modern technical features that contribute to strengthening maritime safety and reducing ship waiting times.
The third agreement: With KUZEY STAR to establish an integrated shipyard at Tartus Port, with an investment volume of $190 million. It is still in the study phase.
DP World begins its operational activities at Tartus Port on November 12, 2025. (Syrian General Authority for Ports and Customs)
Mechanisms to Address Weak Integration and Achieve Returns
Challenges and Opportunities in the Transport Sector
Syria’s transport sector faces complex and overlapping challenges that obstruct the restoration of its operational efficiency, including security, technical, administrative, financial, and logistical dimensions. At the security level, some areas still face unstable conditions that affect work continuity and limit the ability to implement long-term rehabilitation projects.
Technically, the sector suffers from extensive deterioration in roads, railways, and operating systems, alongside a shortage of equipment, spare parts, and machinery needed for maintenance and reopening work.
The achievements of the Syrian Ministry of Transport in 2025 came at the bottom of the citizen version of the state’s general budget for 2026, and the work was limited to what the ministry described as an “emergency recovery for the railway sector.”
The rest of the work was limited to processing transport transactions, collecting fees, launching an electronic platform, and driving education and training, noting:
- Completing “emergency maintenance” work for the most damaged roads.
- Launching a “comprehensive national program” to maintain the central road network, based on an advanced assessment of road pavement layers in the liberated governorates.
- Carrying out structural rehabilitation of the Damascus International Airport road, especially the section connecting the airport with the Lebanese border.
Gap Between Reality and Requirements
Academic and economic researcher Dr. Yasser al-Hussein believes that the most prominent technical challenges facing Syria’s transport sector lie in the deterioration of roads, bridges, railways, and ports, in addition to “network disconnection” and the loss of integration between the components of the transport system, alongside weak funding, limited resources, and economic sanctions.
Added to this are:
- Governance problems, multiple authorities, and weak coordination.
- A lack of modern technology, transport management systems, and logistics services.
- The continued rise in operating and maintenance costs and fuel prices.
This reflects the large gap between the current reality of the transport sector and the requirements of full rehabilitation, whether in terms of funding, technical capabilities, or the volume of work needed to reconnect land, railway, and maritime networks within an integrated transport system.
Weak connectivity between networks, fragmentation of the domestic market, and the halt of essential transport modes such as railways are all factors that have reshaped the economy toward a high-cost, low-efficiency system.
Dr. Yasser al-Hussein
Academic and economic researcher
The branch of the General Establishment for Road Transport in Idlib carries out emergency maintenance on main and international roads, April 22, 2026. (Syrian Ministry of Transport/Facebook)
From Crisis Management to Rebuilding the System
The Syrian government faces administrative and financial challenges linked to the limited resources available compared with the scale of actual needs, which is reflected in the slow implementation of rehabilitation and maintenance projects.
Dr. Yasser al-Hussein said Syria’s transport sector “is not managed within an integrated development vision, but within a crisis management framework aimed at maintaining the minimum level of operation.”
He believes that reforming the transport sector requires moving from crisis management to building an integrated transport system, beginning with:
- Rehabilitating vital corridors and unifying crossing procedures.
- Restarting railways and establishing dry ports.
- Linking ports with the interior and creating regional transit corridors.
- Institutional reforms that reduce transaction costs and enhance economic efficiency.
Member of the Economic Sciences Association Mohammad Bakr told Enab Baladi that moves in the transport sector intersect with the interests of several regional countries surrounding Syria, such as Turkey, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and even Iraq, through the effort to revive, modernize, and develop the railway network as a more stable logistical alternative.
This approach aims to link Europe with Gulf states by reshaping supply chains through reliance on land routes, reducing dependence on sea routes and the challenges they face, such as strait congestion and piracy risks in the Red Sea.
Bakr noted that this path also serves Syria’s interests, as it will positively affect transit movement and contribute to activating ports and border crossings.
Transport, Hospitality Revenues and Returns
As land and railway connection projects between Europe and Gulf states develop, most of these networks will pass through Syrian territory, strengthening Syria’s economic and strategic position in the region and pushing international shipping companies to open branches inside Syria, which would entrench its role as a pivotal logistics hub.
Mohammad Bakr, a member of the Economic Sciences Association, explained that this geographic position will directly affect the Syrian economy, as Syria will turn into a road node linking the north, Europe, with the south, the Gulf states, which will activate multiple economic sectors, foremost among them the land transport sector.
The same expert believes Syria will achieve important returns represented by:
- Transit fees, which will rise to become an important source of state budget revenues.
- Indirect revenues resulting from activating the hospitality and services sectors, such as hotel and restaurant occupancy by drivers and workers in the transport sector.
- Taxes, rents, and wages of workers in branches of international shipping and packaging companies that “may open” in the country.
Regarding challenges, Bakr noted that the most prominent is the high cost of financing, as the cost of rehabilitating Syria’s railway network is estimated at no less than $6 billion, an amount the government currently does not have. This requires attracting external investments from Arab investors or international companies through external financing, especially given the high returns and investment appeal the project could provide.
Bakr concluded by pointing to a set of advantages that could make Syria a regional center for railway transport, most notably:
- Turning Syria into a regional logistics hub linking Europe and the Arabian Gulf by land, contributing to sustainable economic growth, and strengthening integration between productive and service sectors.
- Improving the performance of the agricultural and industrial sectors by linking production areas with consumer markets and facilitating the transport of raw materials and finished products.
- Improving the export capacity of agricultural and industrial products because of lower transport costs to and from ports and regional and international markets, especially amid the challenges facing the international maritime transport sector.
- Contributing to environmental protection by reducing carbon emissions, given that railway transport is more efficient and less polluting, in line with global trends toward sustainable development.
The Syrian Ministry of Transport refrained from providing any response to questions sent by Enab Baladi about projects, the reality of railways and land roads in Syria, rehabilitation or development plans underway, proposed projects in land and railway transport sectors, estimated timelines for completion, and the expected impact of these agreements on the national economy.
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