Saudi Arabia is advancing a major high-speed rail initiative to connect the Red Sea with the Arabian Gulf, a move set to reshape national mobility and regional trade, according to Okaz Arabic daily.
The flagship “Land Bridge” will link Jeddah to Dammam via Riyadh across nearly 1,500 kilometers of track, according to Okaz Arabic daily. Travel between Riyadh and Jeddah is expected to drop from around 12 hours by car to under four hours by train, Okaz Arabic daily reported.
Anchored in Saudi Vision 2030, the plan expands the rail network from 5,300 kilometers to more than 8,000 kilometers, positioning the Kingdom as a logistics hub for the Gulf and wider Arab world, according to Okaz Arabic daily. The project’s estimated value is $7 billion, Okaz Arabic daily reported.
The Saudi Railway Company will develop freight and passenger stations, connecting King Abdullah Port with industrial centers such as Yanbu, according to Okaz Arabic daily. As part of upgrades, 15 new trains capable of up to 200 km/h have been ordered, Okaz Arabic daily reported.
A new luxury service, “Dream of the Desert,” will span about 1,290 kilometers from Riyadh to Qurayyat, offering scenic journeys across diverse landscapes, according to Okaz Arabic daily. Plans also include hydrogen-powered trains to support cleaner transport, while rail usage is rising—with more than 2.6 million passengers recorded in the second quarter of 2025, Okaz Arabic daily reported.
Together, these projects aim to integrate land, air, and sea networks—placing the Kingdom at the heart of Middle East transport and trade, according to Okaz Arabic daily.
