In December 2006 RZD and the Libyan Railroads Execution and Management Board signed an MoU. In October 2007 the Russian company introduced the financial feasibility study for the construction of a railroad’s section from Sirte to Benghazi.

The construction contract was signed in April 2008 during Vladimir Putin’s visit to Libya. In that time, Russia has also cancelled Libya $4.5 billion in debt in exchange for benefiting from «multibillion» contracts. The main one was the construction contract for 554 km of the high-speed rail (up to 250 km/h). The cost of the contract was 2.2 billion euro ($3.5 billion), funding was provided by the Government of Libya.

The main contract was the construction contract for 554 km of the high-speed rail (up to 250 km/h). The cost of the contract was 2.2 billion euro ($3.5 billion), funding was provided by the Government of Libya.

The project’s operator was ZST, a subsidiary of RZD. The project included the construction of over 1000 artificial structures, 30 railroad and 23 automobile tracks, 6 station buildings and 24 small stations.

In 2010 under the RZD’s contract the Russian Pskovelectrosvar finished the construction of a rail-welding unit with a capacity of 700 km per year. There were also 5 concrete factories for sleepers production installed and 1,300 units of equipment delivered to Libya.

On 28 February the RZD's personnel was evacuated from Ra's Lanuf, on 4 March the battles between the government troops and rebels in the city began.

By February 2011 approximately 100 km of land were prepared for the construction and 30 km of tracks laid. On 28 February the RZD’s personnel was evacuated from Ra’s Lanuf, on 4 March the battles between the government troops and rebels in the city began.

In its report for the 1H 2019 RZD admitted the impairment loss of the assets under construction, core funds and equipment in Libya of 8 billion roubles. The annual report for 2011 shows the company has written off accounts receivable in the amount of 6.6 billion roubles.

In 2013 RZD and Libya’s new government started negotiations. In 2018 the company’s Deputy Director General Alexander Misharin mentioned that the Libyan project was not closed for the RZD, and it could be reopened with the compensation of expenses the RZD had experienced.