Lebanon is preparing to revive its long-dormant railway network, a project that could reconnect the country’s ports and hinterlands while boosting economic activity, Nidaa Al-Watan newspaper reported. Stretching over 403 kilometers, the network has been largely inactive for decades due to war, neglect, and political instability, but renewed efforts suggest trains may soon return to Lebanese tracks once security conditions improve.

The Lebanese Railways and Joint Transport Authority is leading the initiative, which has received official backing from both the President and the government. Authorities are now removing encroachments, restoring stations, and updating technical studies, with the goal of laying the groundwork for a full restoration of rail services.

“The campaign to clear the railway lines is moving swiftly,” Ziad Shayya, Director General of the Railways Authority, told the newspaper. “Through meetings with the President, Prime Minister, and Minister of Public Works, we have secured support to advance studies and put trains back on the tracks once political and security conditions stabilize.”

Officials are focusing on restoring key lines, including the Tripoli–Al Aboudiyeh route, which historically connected Tripoli’s port to the Syrian city of Homs.

“The line has no value unless it connects to Syria,” Shayya said, noting that coordination between Lebanese and Syrian authorities is ongoing.

Tracks at Tripoli port, in place since 2004, are being examined for usability by expert teams, and implementation will follow once stability is achieved.

A feasibility study is also underway to link Tripoli’s port to the Lebanese-Syrian border, as part of the ESCWA Corridor, an economic and logistics framework Lebanon signed onto in 2003. In parallel, plans are being considered to connect Beirut and the Bekaa Valley to Damascus, integrating Lebanon into a wider regional trade network.

The rail revival is expected to deliver broad economic benefits. Carlos Naffaa, president of the TRAN TRAN Association, highlighted several potential gains: lowering Lebanon’s annual $4 billion fuel bill by reducing reliance on trucks, easing housing pressures by improving transport to rural areas, reducing air pollution and related healthcare costs, and improving access to universities nationwide.

Reopening the network could also stimulate industrial and agricultural development. For example, a revived Baalbek–Al Qaa line could allow agricultural products to be processed locally and transported via rail to Tripoli and Beirut ports at lower cost. Freight costs historically demonstrate rail efficiency: in 1996, transporting sand from Shikka to Beirut cost $2.50 per ton by rail versus $10 by truck.

The project could also increase revenues through transit and port operations. Beirut currently handles about 1.5 million containers annually, and Tripoli about 600,000, mainly through transshipment rather than direct regional transit. Restoring railway links to Gulf countries could capture significant trade revenues, as regional rail networks expand and Syria negotiates links to Turkey and Jordan.

Shayya emphasized that passenger services will also be reintroduced alongside freight operations, either concurrently or in a second phase. Most of the original stations still exist across Lebanon, making the network feasible to restore once studies are complete.

Despite the challenges, officials said Lebanon’s railway revival is a national and commercial necessity. The project is being carried out strategically, with a phased approach: clearing encroachments, updating studies, and planning routes according to economic, environmental, and social impact. Leasing unused railway land for parking or advertising is also being considered as a source of revenue for the railway authority.

“Reviving the railways is not just about reconnecting with our history,” Naffaa said. “It is an investment in a productive economy, a cleaner environment, and balanced development that reconnects cities, villages, and people with jobs and opportunities.”