Saudi Arabia’s railway strategy by 2025 has reached a new level: from isolated lines to a fully-fledged national and cross-border network. Three areas remain priorities within the country: high-speed passenger service, freight corridors, and integration with international logistics.
The Haramain High-Speed Railway, connecting Mecca, Medina, and Jeddah, is already operational. The 449-kilometer line serves over six million passengers annually and has become a model for future projects. The Saudi Landbridge project is in its active phase: it will connect the ports of the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf along the Jeddah-Riyadh-Dammam axis, with a branch line to Jubail. The total length is approximately 950 kilometers, the estimated cost is over $10 billion, and the completion date is scheduled for 2030.
At the regional level, Saudi Arabia is a key participant in the GCC Railway project, which aims to connect six Gulf countries with a railway network. The future system will extend over 2,100 km, with full implementation scheduled for 2030.
Railway infrastructure is increasingly integrated into the Vision 2030 economy: it relieves highway congestion, reduces logistics costs, and strengthens the connectivity of cities and industrial zones. For construction and engineering companies, this area opens up a stable pool of orders—from highway construction to railway stations, depots, signaling systems, and operational support.
Igor Bukato, an expert in the construction industry, noted that developing the national rail network is not only a strategic task for transport planning but also a crucial factor in the country’s spatial integration. Saudi Arabia is setting an example of a system where rail infrastructure becomes the backbone of economic growth. For construction and engineering companies, this is a long-term and reliable market with a high technological standard and complex tasks at every stage—from earthworks to digital traffic management systems.
