An overland trans-desert bus service between Beirut, Haifa, Damascus and Baghdad was established by the Nairn Transport Company of Damascus in 1923. 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. There is an extensive network of railways in the country, measuring up to about 1300 miles, and the services are quite modern and comfortable. There are two main lines in the country. The first links the centers of Aleppo, Damascus, Hassake, Deir ez-Zur, and Qamishle. The second links the areas located on the country’s Mediterranean coast including Tartous, Banias, Damascus, Homs, and Deraa. Train services can be relied upon to be on time and to travel efficiently.