Transport in Syria is possible by rail, road, air or rivers, both public and private. Syria is a developed Asian country with a well-developed rail network (2,052 km) and a highway system (782 km). Main international airport is the Damascus International Airport in the capital, Damascus. Railways total: 2,052 km standard gauge: 1,801 km of gauge narrow gauge: 251 km of gauge (2006) See also Hejaz railway. Railway links with adjacent countries Turkey - yes, at Qamishli/Nusaybin, Israel - defunct Iraq - yes, at Al-Yarubiyah/Rabiya, Jordan - yes - - in 2005, work commenced to build a line Lebanon - defunct Developments 2008 - proposed joint rolling stock factory with Turkey at Aleppo On 22 April 2005 Syria ratified the Agreement on International Railways in the Arab Mashriq, which provides for the implementation of a variety of north–south and east–west links between the states of the region, including the restoration of direct rail links between Syria and Lebanon and Iraq. On 7 July 2005 the Syrian General Establishment for the Hejaz Railway announced that it had signed a contract worth US$54 million with a Lebanese company to build a railroad between Damascus and Damascus International Airport. External links CFS Road transport An overland trans-desert bus service between Beirut, Haifa, Damascus and Baghdad was established by the Nairn Transport Company of Damascus in 1923. Roads total: 68,157 km paved: 61,514 km (including 1,103 km of expressways) unpaved: 6,643 km (2006) Motorways Syria has a well-developed system of motorways in the western half of the country. The eastern part nevertheless has only connection through two lanes roads due to the sparsity of the population. The main motorways in Syria are the following: M1 - Runs from Homs to Latakia. It also connects Tartus, Baniyas and Jableh. Its length is 174 km. M2 - Runs from Damascus to Jdeidat Yabous, on the border with Lebanon. It also connects Al-Sabboura. Its length is 38 km. M4 - Runs from Latakia to Saraqib. It also connects Arihah and Jisr al-Shughur. Its length is 120 km. Assuming that it shares some 60 km with the Motorway M5, it arrives until Aleppo, and from there, it has been expanded as a two-lane expressway that continues further east into the Iraqi border, ultimately reaching its destination at Mosul. M5 - This is the most important motorway in the country, due to its length and as it functions as