Saudi railway network to reach 8,000km, says minister

Alamy via Reuters

• Job creation boost
• Investment opportunities
• 950km Landbridge project

Saudi Arabia will look to expand its railway network by around 45 percent in the coming years, the transport minister told a conference in Riyadh. 

“The kingdom is set to experience unprecedented growth in its rail network, expanding to over 8,000km in the coming years,” Saleh Al Jasser, minister of transport and Saudi Arabia Railways chairman told the Saudi Rail Conference and Exhibition. 

Saudi Arabia’s current rail network spans more than 5,500km.

During the conference the minister launched the Asasat Programme, which is aimed at increasing Saudi participation in the rail sector. 

• Passenger numbers on Saudi trains leap 23% in a year
• Financing being finalised for Riyadh-Jeddah railway line
• Saudi Arabia signs $690m passenger train order

The programme is expected to generate investment opportunities worth SAR15 billion ($4 billion) by 2030, increase domestic goods, services and production in SAR’s operations to 60 percent by 2025, and create more than 3,000 jobs. 

SAR said last month that it hopes to finalise financing for its Landbridge project in the coming months. 

The 950km railway line, which has been in the planning for at least 30 years, will link Riyadh, Jeddah and the Red Sea. 

It is expected to cost around $7 billion but its progress is largely dependent on budgets, an official told AGBI last month.