On Tuesday, Saudi Arabia celebrated the launch of its 450-kilometer Haramain rail line, the longest electric speed train network in the Middle East. The much-anticipated high-speed railway, which has been built to connect the Holy Cities of Mecca and Medina in less than half the time it currently takes by road, was officially inaugurated by King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud in the presence of dignitaries.
The line’s 35 trains travel at speeds of around 300 km/h, linking Mecca and Medina to some of the country’s main hubs such as Jeddah, King Abdul Aziz International Airport, and King Abdullah Economic City in Rabigh. Each train has 417 seats and the entire fleet of the Haramain line is projected to carry 60 million passengers a year. Tickets starting at SAR 20 (approximately $5.30) will be made available in a week on the line’s website and an app will also be launched soon.
According to the chairperson of the Public Transport Authority Rumih Bin Mohammad Al Rumaih, the line will officially begin operations in a month and will offer regular trains from October until the end of the year every Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, starting from the stations of Mecca, Medina, Sulaymaniyah in Jeddah, and King Abdullah Economic City. Jeddah's King Abdul Aziz International Airport station will begin operations later in mid-2019..
According to Arab News, the Saudi Arabian Minister of Transport, Dr. Nabil bin Mohammed Al-Amoudi, expressed his gratitude to King Salman for his patronage of the ceremony, as well as his support for other key national projects. He also acknowledged the King’s and Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman’s efforts in ensuring the Kingdom will always remain committed to providing the highest quality services to pilgrims under the aims of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.
The national plan that has been designed to transform the economic and social spheres of the Kingdom also aims to enhance the overall experiences of pilgrims to the country, providing electronic services that facilitate their visit, as well as other services designated for people with special needs.
