A Riyadh-Doha high-speed rail will cut travel time to two hours

Saudi Arabia and Qatar agreed to build a high-speed electric rail link connecting Riyadh and Doha via Dammam and Al Hofuf, state news agency SPA reported. The agreement was signed during the visit of Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to the Kingdom, where he held talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on bilateral ties.

The details: The project will span a 785-km route, linking King Salman International Airport with Hamad International Airport. Once operational, it will cut travel time between the two capitals to roughly two hours, handle more than 10 mn passengers a year, and open a corridor for medium and light goods to move more efficiently, bolstering trade flow.

When? The project is expected to take six years to complete, creating over 30k new jobs and adding SAR 115 bn to Saudi and Qatar’s combined GDP in the process

Also during the visit, Riyadh and Doha signed multiple MoUs covering rail transport, investment promotion, food security, media cooperation, and nonprofit collaboration, state news agency SPA reports. They also committed to joint efforts on global energy market stability, renewable energy, climate policy coordination, and water management.