IRR Southern Line

The IRR Southern Line, also known as the Baghdad–Basra Railway Line, is a railway line that operates since 2014 between the cities of Baghdad and Basra in Iraq. It is operated by the Iraqi Republic Railways. The line is roughly 550 kilometres (340 mi) long, with intermediate cities including Karbala, Musayyib, Diwaniya, Samawah and Nasiriya. A proposal was put forward to turn the railway route into a high-speed rail one, but it was never realised. Under that project it was also planned to connect the city of Najaf to the rail network.^[1][2]

The diesel multi-units used on the service.

IRR Southern Line
Legend
Baghdad To Basra
km approx. time 0 Baghdad International Railway Station 0:00 IRR Northern and Western 9.1 Baghdad Mansur Railway Station 11.9 Hamra Railway Station 17.2 Dora Railway Station 31.0 Yusufiya Railway Station Over Grand Channel 41.2 Mahmudiya Railway Station 46.8 Latifiya Railway Station 61.4 Iskanderiya/Alexandria Railway Station 01:00 73.0 Musaiyeb Railway Station Over Euphrates 97.6 Karbala Railway Station 01:40 90.6 Mahawil Railway Station 109.7 Hilla/Babylon Railway Station 01:45 Over Euphrates 134.1 Hashimiya Railway Station 02:00 148.9 Qojan Railway Station Over Euphrates 167.3 Sharifiya Railway Station 170.9 Seniya Railway Station Over Euphrates 185.5 Diwaniya Railway Station 03:00 203.9 Bani Median Railway Station 215.0 Hamza Railway Station 230.9 Rumeitha Railway Station 237.0 Abu Tubeikh Railway Station 249.9 Hijama Railway Station 04:00 267.0 Sawa Railway Station Over Euphrates 275.3 Samawa Railway Station 04:15 299.5 Khafora Railway Station 313.8 Khuder Railway Station 328.7 Daraji Railway Station 05:00 346.4 Batha Railway Station 364.4 Quziya Railway Station 381.3 Nasiriya Railway Station 05:50 Over Grand Channel 396.3 Khandaq Railway Station 06:00 408.6 Suq Ash Shuyukh Railway Station 420.0 Karmashiya Railway Station Hamar Marsh 433.7 Showeiya Railway Station 440.0 Howeysa Railway Station 448.8 Luqeyt Railway Station 07:00 Over Grand Channel 461.7 Ghabashiya Railway Station 477.3 Jazair Railway Station 482.0 Sidra Railway Station 487.5 Artawa Rail Station 504.7 Romayla Railway Station 521.5 Tuba Railway Station 08:00 Shoeyba Junction To Um Qasr 536.9 Shoeyba Railway Station Over Basra Canal 552.9 Basra Maqal Railway Station 08:30 Over Shatt Al Arab Line to Shalamcheh Under Counstruction

Speed

The line was planned to be high-speed, allowing a top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph), but operates at an average speed of 60–70 km/h (37.3–43.5 mph) and a top speed of 125 km/h (77.7 mph).^[1][3][4][5]

Frequency

There is one train service per day, taking 8–12 hours, in each direction. The Baghdad to Basra train starts at Baghdad International RS at 8pm and arrives at Basra AlMaqal RS at 4:30 in the morning.^[6] In reverse, the Basra to Baghdad train starts at 6 pm and arrives in Baghdad at 6:15 am.

History

The line was first announced by Thierry Mariani, a French junior transport minister, at the 2011 Paris Air Show on 24 June 2011.^[1] He said that French company Alstom and the Iraqi government had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) regarding a contract to build the proposed line.^[2] Alstom will conduct exclusive talks with the Iraqi government for a year.^[1][2] During the announcement of the deal, Mariani also said that he planned to travel to Iraq to discuss the project later in the year.^[1] According to an Alstom spokesperson, the company planned to seek a contract that would cover the design, construction and operation of the line.^[2]

Rolling stock

In 2014, IRR received the first of an order of 10 new trains from CRRC Qingdao Sifang. The trainsets consist of two diesel-powered locomotives and eight steel bodied trailers and are specifically built to resist the high temperatures and wind-blown dust of Iraq's desert environment. ^[7][8]

Prices

There are four categories of tickets on the line. A 2-Berth Sleeper accommodation costs 37,000 IQD or 28 Dollars. A 4-Berth option for 31,000 IQD or just under 24 USD. Second-class seating tickets in carriages with two rows of two seats each cost 10,000 IQD/8 USD and first class options will cost 15,000 IQD or just above 11 Dollars for a seat in a carriage with two rows, one with one seat and one with two. Tea, kebabs or other snacks can be purchased at the Diner-Carriage.^[9][10]

References

1. "Iraq: France's Alstom signs high-speed rail line deal". BBC News Online. 24 June 2011. Archived from the original on 27 June 2011. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
2. "Alstom tapped for Iraq HSR talks". Railway Age. 24 June 2011. Archived from the original on 28 June 2011. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
3. "High-speed Baghdad-Basra rail line complete | Embassy of the Republic of Iraq Public Relations Office".
4. Arango, Tim (18 October 2014). "A Train Ride Through Time: From Iraq's Checkered Past into an Uncertain Future". The New York Times.
5. "Focus - Approaching terminus? On board Iraq's last train line". 8 December 2014.
6. "Train travel in Iraq | Baghdad to Basra train".
7. Barry, Keith (24 March 2014). "After Decades of War, Iraq Adds Fleet of New Trains to Its Aging Railway". Wired. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
8. "New Iraqi inter-city train rolled out".
9. "Train travel in Iraq | Baghdad to Basra train".
10. "Taking the train in Iraq: Basra to Baghdad". 16 March 2019.