Fastest Electric Train in the Middle East to Start Operations in Saudi Arabia in September | ExpatWoman.com
 

Fastest Electric Train in the Middle East to Start Operations in Saudi Arabia in September

The train can travel at more than 300 km/h and will travel between Makkah and Madinah

Posted on

7 May 2018

Last updated on 8 May 2018
Haramain Train To Start Service In Saudi Arabia In September

The fastest train in the Middle East will start operations in September in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia according to Saudi Transport Minister Nabil bin Mohammed Al-Amoudi. The Haramain train is the first high-speed electric train travelling between Makkah and Madinah. The main line is 450 km long and will travel through King Abdullah Economic City, with a branch line to the new King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) in Jeddah.

This is considered as the fastest electric train in the Middle East being able to reach speeds of higher than 300 kilometres per hour.

It is expected that the train will carry 60 million passengers a year by the beginning of 2019 when it will be fully operational.

Transportation is seen as the main pillar of the national economy and a key driver in the economic renaissance that is busy happening in the Kingdom as part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.

Along with the Makkah-Madinah railway, the Kingdom is also busy with a new airport in Jeddah that will begin operations in May. King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) will initially only have limited domestic flights but is expected to be fully operational within the first three months of 2019. The airport will have 46 gates with a capacity to accommodate 30 million passengers a year.

An additional 12 domestic airports are also planned to be opened.