The document provides an overview of past, present, and future rail development projects across the Middle East and North Africa region. It discusses the history of early rail lines in Egypt and the Hejaz railway between Damascus and Medina in the early 20th century. It then explains that rail development was neglected in the Gulf in the second half of the 20th century but has seen a resurgence over the last ten years, with billions being invested in new metro and high-speed rail projects in countries like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE. Tables and charts show details on existing and planned rail infrastructure across the MENA region and information on some of the largest current rail projects.