IRR Southern Line

Iraqi Republic Railways (IRR)
Iraq
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The Journey

Navigate from Baghdad Central Station to Basra Al-Maqal Station across a span of 541km.

Scenery Highlights
  • Sunrise over the Mesopotamian Marshes near Khidr — exceptional golden-light photography when the train passes shortly after 06:00
  • Date-palm plantation belt (Al-Diwaniya to Samawah) — 30+ km of uninterrupted oasis
  • Ur ziggurat visible from the train on clear mornings, 12 km west of Nasiriya
  • Tigris River crossing south of Al-Amarah — single-track steel truss bridge
  • Shatt al-Arab waterway approach to Basra — small dhows visible on the waterway
  • Basra Al-Maqal Station morning arrival — coral-brick colonial-era station building (1912-built by the British)
  • Sumerian-era canal alignments visible as linear depressions in the plain
  • Iraqi Southern Desert steppe to the west of the track, especially at sunset
Quick Facts
  • Duration

    10 hours

  • Distance

    541 km

  • Est. Price

    IQD 5,000 (hard seat) to IQD 25,000 (sleeper cabin) — ~USD 4 to USD 19 at CBU rate

Official Booking Provider
Classes & Accommodations

Meals: Dinner (chicken with rice / lamb kebab) and breakfast (boiled egg, labneh, flatbread, tea) included — served at seat by attendant in the dining car or cabin.

Ensuite: No

Meals: None included; food cart passes through the train selling tea, soft drinks, and packaged snacks.

Ensuite: No

Meals: None — bring your own food and water.

Ensuite: No

Engine / Locomotive

Caterpillar C27 ACERT diesel per power car (CSR-built)

Locomotive Weight

Approx 47 tonnes per CSR DMU car

Track Gauge

1,435 mm standard gauge

Braking Technology

Pneumatic + dynamic (regenerative-style) braking on CSR DMUs; air brake throughout

Route Engineering Challenges

  • Marshland subsidence south of Nasiriya requiring annual ballast top-up

  • Sand-drift encroachment across the desert-steppe sections west of the Euphrates

  • Border-zone checkpoint delays at Musayyib Junction

  • Aging British-Mandate-era bridges on the Al-Amarah branch requiring weight restrictions

  • Summer heat (45°C+) de-railing risk from rail-sun kinks

  • Single-track south of Samawah limits daily train paths

  • Inconsistent maintenance scheduling due to security-related funding diversion

Operator Full

Iraqi Republic Railways (IRR) under the Iraqi Ministry of Transport

Operator Website

iraqrailways.gov.iq

Builder Dmu

CSR Corporation Limited (now CRRC), Qingdao factory

Year Dmu Delivery

2014-2015

Currency

IQD (Iraqi Dinar)

Schedule

Daily overnight each direction (subject to operational disruption)

Status

Active — Iraq's sole long-distance year-round passenger rail service

International Extensions

Shalamcheh cross-border to Iran — NOT YET OPERATIONAL as of July 2026 (32-35 km of track remaining)

Languages

Arabic primary; English announcements on key routes

Locomotive Roster

Approx 12× CSR 5-car DMUs delivered 2014-2015; heritage carriages from the 1970s-1980s Soviet and Romanian procurement occasionally attached

Electrification Status

None — full diesel operation

Train Class

Overnight diesel multiple-unit sleeper + 2nd-class air-conditioned seat

Network Classification

Domestic long-distance inter-city rail

Year Commenced Modern Dmu

2015

Heritage Track Year

1920

Track Rebuild Year

2014

Track Length Total Iraq Km

2272

Quick Facts
  • Duration

    10 hours

  • Distance

    541 km

  • Est. Price

    IQD 5,000 (hard seat) to IQD 25,000 (sleeper cabin) — ~USD 4 to USD 19 at CBU rate

Official Booking Provider