Saudi Arabia's landmark railway expansion project, which links its east with the west as well as the cities of Makkah, Madinah and Jeddah, has made remarkable headway. "Saudi Railways Organization (SRO) has invited leading North American, European and Japanese companies specialized in operating high speed trains to present their proposals on the latest technologies," said Khaled Alyahya, its president. SRO will study their offers in order to select preferred technology, according to a press statement published today. The project involves construction of 950 km new tracks between Riyadh and Jeddah and another 115-km line between Dammam and Jubail as well as upgrading of the existing rail link between Riyadh and Dammam. "Many international companies have expressed interest in the giant project by responding to SRO's invitation," Alyahya said in reference to the western line of the project linking Makkah, Madinah and Jeddah. The proposed land bridge will reduce travel time between Riyadh and Jeddah by at least five hours depending on the type of trains used. "There are two options: One, to operate high speed trains averaging 220 km per hour, and the other to operate regular trains with sleeper coaches," Alyahya said. He said cargo trains would be able to cover the distance between Jeddah and Dammam within 24 hours. "The new railway project will promote travel and freight transportation in the whole Gulf region," he added. He described the project as one of the largest BOT schemes ever undertaken in the region.
