Freight Volumes Climb
Syria's state railway moved 663,479 tons of freight in the first seven months of 2026, up from 417,859 tons in the same period of 2025, an increase of about 59 percent. The figures cover cargo hauled across the network's main corridors through the end of July 2026.
The gain was driven by heavier movement of fuel and strategic goods, alongside repairs that returned idle track and rolling stock to service.
Fuel and Grain Corridors
Fuel oil accounted for the largest share, rising to 564,419 tons from 370,052 tons a year earlier. The operator rehabilitated the corridor linking Tartus port to the Banias refinery, easing the flow of fuel between the coast and processing sites.
Repairs to a bridge on the line also reopened grain shipments to silos in Homs province, shifting part of that cargo back to rail from road.
Local Repairs Cut Costs
The railway said it overhauled specialized equipment in-house rather than buying replacements abroad. A track-maintenance machine was restored for about $6,000, against a foreign quote of $345,000, while a ballast-regulation machine cost roughly $5,000 to repair versus an external offer of $575,000.
Combined, the in-house program saved more than $3 million (USD), the operator said, as it also repaired cranes, lifts and dozens of other maintenance units.
Fleet Back in Service
Crews returned 44 grain tankers in Tartus to service after more than a decade out of use, and lifted speed limits on primary routes. Fuel trains now run at up to 60 kilometers per hour and phosphate and grain trains at up to 80.
The restored capacity is aimed at strategic and essential materials, including wheat and fuel, much of which had shifted to trucking in recent years.
Efficiency Drive
The railway's director said the results reflect "a tangible improvement in operational efficiency" and the network's renewed ability to supply essential and strategic goods.
Officials framed the July 2026 figures as evidence that rehabilitation of tracks, bridges and workshops is beginning to translate into higher throughput.