A French-Saudi group including Alstom and SNCF and a Spanish-led consortium were the only bidders Saturday for Saudi Arabia's multi-billion dollar Makkah-Madina high speed railway, Saudi officials said. The $1.4 billion in contracts will involve laying tracks, installing signals, and communications. At least five groups, including German, Chinese and South Korean firms, had qualified for bidding to build the 450-kilometer (275-mile) Haramain railway linking Islam's holy cities through the Red Sea port of Jeddah. The bidders were the Al-Rajhi group, including Saudi builder Al-Rajhi, Alstom and state railway SNCF, and Spanish bidders together with the Saudi Al-Shoula conglomerate. Alstom offered to supply trains and equipment for a high-speed railway. The winner has to develop the track, signaling, communications and electrification, supply the trains and run and service the project for the initial 12 years of operation.
