The Middle East, already home to several of the world's top airlines, is now moving into the fast train sector.
Saudi Arabia and Qatar are moving ahead with an ambitious plan that will slash travel time between their capitals to about two hours, a statement carried by official Saudi media and reported by Travel Mole reveals.
The project, billed as a major step toward deeper regional cooperation and sustainable development, will create a new 785-kilometre rail corridor linking Riyadh and Doha, passing through major Saudi cities including Al-Hofuf and Dammam.
Along the line, trains would also connect Doha's Hamad International Airport with the planned King Salman International Airport, forming what officials describes “a new backbone for fast, low-carbon mobility across the Gulf“.
Designed for trains to exceed speeds of 300kmh, the service will offer a competitive alternative to air travel. Flights between Riyadh and Doha take roughly 90 minutes. The journey takes over six hours by road.
Once operational, the rail line is expected to handle more than 10 million passengers annually, bolstering business and leisure travel and giving riders easy access to major attractions in both countries.
Officials say the project will generate more than 30,000 direct and indirect jobs.
The line will be built over six years to international safety and quality standards, using advanced rail and smart-engineering technologies aimed at cutting emissions and supporting the region’s transition toward cleaner transport.
The agreement was signed in Riyadh by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
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