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3. Railway and Public Transport Authority: The Locomotives Stopped Rolling in 1996

With bitter sarcasm, the Lebanese refer to the Railway and Public Transport Authority (OCFTC), now seen as a symbol of public sector waste. The last train from Beirut to Rayak ran in 1975, and the Beirut–Tripoli line was shut down in 1996. Yet the institution has somehow endured. Initially used for freight, the trains later carried passengers—though that service quickly vanished.

Today, the OCFTC’s role is largely limited to paying the salaries of just a few employees while consuming an annual budget of 13 billion Lebanese pounds, according to the research firm Information International. Worse still, Lebanon’s train stations were neglected after the civil war. Some have since been repurposed: the Mar Mikhail station has become a restaurant, the Tripoli station a truck parking lot, and the Baabda station a used-car lot. As for the old steam locomotives, they’ve been left to rust—forgotten and unused. These changes have only made any revival of the railway network even more difficult.

Indeed, Lebanon now seems a long way from reclaiming lost time or restoring railway transport as a key component of its economy. The country has already missed several opportunities, despite railways being recognized for their economic, social, and accessibility benefits.

The Rails Live On

Instead of leveraging its infrastructure to progress and modernize its railway network, Lebanon has fallen behind and neglected this sector. Yet, the country has 403 kilometers of rail tracks along its coastline—an asset that could significantly boost the revival of its rail services. In fact, much of the necessary infrastructure (the land where the tracks run) is already in place, which could drastically reduce the costs of reactivating the trains. In other words, Lebanon could restart its railway network more easily and at a lower cost, without the need to purchase or develop new land.

The ESCWA Corridors

In 2003, Lebanon signed the "ESCWA Corridors" agreement, which covers the economic railway corridors of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA). Of all the signatories, Lebanon is the only country that has yet to take steps to honor its commitment. The project aimed to establish railway lines connecting the ports of Beirut and Tripoli to the Mashreq railway network, set to begin operations in 2025. As a result, Lebanon has effectively excluded itself from one of the most significant regional and international agreements. Even Syria, despite its ongoing conflict, inaugurated 350 kilometers of railway last year as part of this agreement, linking the Mediterranean coast to Eastern Qalamoun.

World Bank Support

The World Bank is reportedly backing a public transport project in Beirut aimed at modernizing and improving the efficiency of the capital’s public transport system. The project includes plans for a tramline connecting Beirut to Tabarja, designed to alleviate traffic congestion by providing a modern, fast, and eco-friendly public transport alternative. The initiative would involve the construction of dedicated tram tracks, the renovation of stops, and integration with other modes of transport to streamline transfers.

Lebanon: A Railway Pioneer

Lebanon was one of the first Arab countries to develop a railway network, stretching over 408 kilometers. The Beirut-Damascus line, established in 1895 under the Ottoman Empire by a French company, enabled the swift movement of goods and passengers between the coast and Syria's interior. It earned Beirut the title of "Gateway to the East." The line passed through Baabda, Aley, Bhamdoun, Sofar, and Chtaura before reaching Damascus. Another major route, the north-south coastal line, connected Beirut to Tripoli and Homs, running along the coast through Jounieh, Byblos, Batroun, and Tripoli, linking the Syrian and European rail networks via Turkey. The third line, which connected Rayak to al-Qaa, Baalbeck, and Aleppo, as well as the southern line running from Beirut to Saida, Tyre, and Naqoura (with plans to extend to Haifa), was part of a broader railway expansion plan. However, this extension was never completed due to regional conflicts. Prior to the Declaration of Greater Lebanon in 1941, the French authorities also introduced an electric tramway in Beirut and its suburbs, which later connected the Beirut and Tripoli train stations.