Business & Finance Club - Doha : A high-speed railway link is being planned between Bahrain and Doha as part of a $42.9 billion railway project that Qatar is about to launch.

The project includes a metro network within Greater Doha, an inter-GCC rail link and a rail freight network.

The Bahrain and Doha link is expected to boost enrolment at educational institutions in the Qatari capital. The one-way journey time between Doha's Education City and Bahrain would be just 51 minutes, via the planned 'Friendship Bridge' between the two countries.

The idea is to woo Bahraini students to enrol at the various prestigious foreign universities and educational institutions in Education City.

Details of the plans were revealed to representatives of the international media who are covering the visit of the FIFA inspection team, which is examining Qatar's bid to host the football World Cup in 2022.

Sultan Bakhit Al Enazi, Qatar Railway Project Manager said the rail link was expected to be ready for operation by 2017.

'It would take 51 minutes straight between Education City and Bahrain once the rail link is ready,' he said.

The trains on this route would be travelling at a speed of 350kmph, said Al Enazi.

The wider integrated system includes the Doha Metro Network; an east coast rail link; a high-speed link between the new Doha International Airport, Doha City Centre and Bahrain via the planned Qatar-Bahrain Friendship Bridge; a freight rail link based on the GCC rail link studies; and light rail systems within specific developments including Qatari Diar's Lusail mega-project.

Work on the metro and other rail projects is slated to start by the middle of next year, whether or not Qatar wins the World Cup bid.

The projects will be 90 per cent complete by 2021 if Qatar wins the bid. If not, the deadline for completion will be 2026.