Saudi Arabia, Qatar ink deal to build high-speed electric rail link

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani signed an agreement to implement a high-speed electric passenger railway between Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

The rail line will span 785 kilometers (km), linking Riyadh and Doha and passing through key stations including Al-Ahsa and Dammam, while connecting King Salman International Airport and Hamad International Airport.

The train will exceed 300 km/h, cutting travel time between the two capitals to around two hours, supporting mobility, boosting trade and tourism flows, and reinforcing economic growth.

According to the Saudi Press Agency, the high-speed rail will serve more than 10 million passengers annually and will create over 30,000 direct and indirect jobs.

The project is scheduled for completion in six years, and will adhere to the highest global standards of quality and safety, using the latest rail and smart-engineering technologies.