The state-owned Railways Company has finalized its evaluation efforts as part of preparations to restore the Kirkuk railway line. Officials have indicated that, pending budget approval, the line could be back in service within approximately 18 months.
Speaking to KirkukNow on Thursday, April 30, Deputy Director General Engineer Ali Awda stated that once funding is secured, train operations in Kirkuk are expected to resume within a year and a half.
“The sound of trains will once again be heard in the city,” he said.
An image of Kirkuk railway station from the early days of its construction.
Awda also confirmed that technical assessments have been completed for key infrastructure, including the Al-Fatha Bridge on the Kirkuk–Beji railway and the Canal Bridge, which crosses a waterway. He explained that the rehabilitation of these structures requires dedicated funding, which has delayed progress in previous years.
During a visit to Kirkuk train station, Awda noted that multiple meetings have recently taken place with the Kirkuk Governor, and that engineers have already finalized the project design.
The origins of the Kirkuk railway date back to the 1920s when Iraq was a British colony, first connected the city to Baghdad and later expanded to other regions. In its early years, foreign drivers—primarily British and Indian—operated the trains before Iraqis were gradually trained for the role. The railway remained active until 2003, following the fall of the Ba’ath regime.
Although Iraqi Railways has previously made similar commitments that were not realized, this latest announcement has renewed cautious optimism about restoring rail service to Kirkuk.
