Saudi Arabia to start key railway line by early 2017

The North-South Railway, the 1,250-km-long rail network which will start from Riyadh and run through Al-Majma’ah, Qasim, Hail and Jouf areas of the kingdom to reach Al Qurayyat, will be launched early next year, said a report citing a senior government official.

The project is feasible both at the economic and security levels as it will save lives of travellers on the roads and protect them against the hazards of commuting by car, reported the Arab News, citing Riyadh Governor Prince Faisal bin Bandar.

He was addressing the media during the trial run from Riyadh to Al-Majma’ah.

Prince Faisal was briefed during the tour on the readiness of the passenger train from Riyadh to



Al-Majma’ah. He also visited the stations and was accompanied by Minister of Transport Sulaiman Al Hamdan, Al Majma’ah Governor Prince Abdul Rahman bin Abdullah, and Rumaih M. Alrumaih, the chief executive of Saudi Railway Company.

“We expect the train will officially operate within two to three months, at the beginning of 2017,” Prince Faisal was quoted as saying in the report.

Prince Faisal predicted great success for the project, especially as it was carefully studied and enjoys economic feasibility.

The train will have 12 cars with allocated places for the disabled in three places, along with three small praying areas which can be transformed into disabled areas if necessary, the report added.