Saudi Arabia and Qatar have signed an agreement to implement a high-speed railway (HSR) project linking the two Gulf countries under the framework of the Saudi-Qatari Coordination Council. The pact, signed on December 8 by Saudi Minister of Transport and Logistics Services Saleh Al-Jasser and Qatar’s Minister of Transport Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulla bin Mohammed Al Thani, also witnessed the presence of Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman and Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
The planned 785-kilometre high-speed railway line will connect the capital cities of Riyadh and Doha, with Hofuf and Dammam serving as the key stoppages. As per the report of the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the project will also link King Salman International Airport in Saudi Arabia with Hamad International Airport in Qatar. The project, under which high-speed trains will operate at speeds exceeding 300 kilometres per hour, reducing travel time between the two capitals to around two hours, will see its construction process completed within the next six years.
Apart from improving the region’s transportation game, the railway project will also generate an economic impact of nearly 115 billion Saudi riyals (USD 30.7 billion) on the combined GDP of both countries, serving more than 10 million passengers annually and, most importantly, creating over 30,000 direct and indirect jobs.
Saudi Arabia already has the experience of operating a high-speed railway system, with the existing 450-km long Haramain high-speed electric railway connecting the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, with stops in Jeddah, King Abdulaziz International Airport and King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC). The Kingdom has also started the tendering process for the Qiddiya high-speed railway, connecting King Salman International Airport, King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) and Qiddiya City in Riyadh. The trains will have a top speed of 250 kilometres per hour, connecting the destinations within 30 minutes.
“In the rest of the region, Egypt is currently building the first phase of a 2,000-km high-speed railway network while Morocco has embarked on the construction of the second phase of its HSR system, linking Marrakech and Kenitra. In the UAE, the tendering process is underway on the Abu Dhabi-Dubai HSR link. Iraq’s Development Road mega project is expected to include an HSR system,” SPA noted.