Saudi Arabia has a modern railway network and a railway is an expanding mode of transport – very good way to travel between most important cities. The government plans to expand existing network over the next ten years. Ultimately the railway will connect the Kingdom’s ports from the Arabian Gulf to the Red Sea.
Last updated: 12.01.2024
The first railway in present day Saudi Arabia was the Hejaz Railway. Narrow gauge railway from Damascus to Medina was constructed by the Ottoman Empire and was inaugurated in 1908. The railway was closed in 1920.
In October 1951 King Abdul Aziz inaugurated the first Arabian railway line between Riyadh and Dammam. Construction started four years earlier.
In 2006 Saudi Railway Company was established.
In 2018 the Haramain high-speed railway was opened. The line connects Muslim’s holy cities of Medina and Mecca.
On 29 September 2019 a massive fire broke out at Jeddah station. The railway station was completely destroyed by the fire. 1,5 kilometer bypass was built around the station building to allow to resume train between Medina and Mecca.
On 1 April 2021 Saudi Railways Company took over the operations and management of the network from the Saudi Railway Organization.
There are plans to build railway line from Jeddah to Riyadh (945 km).
Train travel in Saudi Arabia – domestic trains
Passenger trains in Saudi Arabia run on North Line and East Line. Trains are fast, modern, comfortable, air-conditioned and safe. It’s highly reccomended to travel by train if you want to explore Saudi Arabia. There is a prayer area in each carriage. You can choose between economy and business class. Train from Riyadh to Quruyatt has sleeping cars with private cabins. Ticket prices are moderately.
There are three major routes in Saudi Arabia:
Riyadh – Dammam (449 km) – East Train
Riyadh – Quruyatt (2750 km) – North Train
Mecca – Medina (450 km) – Haramain Express Train
Saudi Arabia Railways – timetable, online shop, additional information.
Haramain Express Train – timetable, online shop, additional information
Railway map of Saudi Arabia (Wikimedia)
Riyadh Quruyatt line was opened in 2017. Trains stop at six stations: King Khaled International Airport, Majma’a, Qassim, Hail at Prince Abdulaziz Bin Mussa’ad Economic City, Jawf, and Qurayyat.
Train from Riyadh to Damman stops in Buqayq and Hofuf.
Haraim Express train has 417 seats (113 in Business Class and 304 in Economy Class).
Train travel in Saudi Arabia – international trains
There are no international trains in Saudi Arabia. Train from Riyadh to Quruyatt ends near the border with Jordan and railway line terminates in Al-Haditha, 25 km from Quruyatt. There are proposed links with adjacent countries – Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and United Arab Emirates.
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