The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is set to experience unprecedented growth in its rail network, expanding to more than 8,000 km in the coming years, reported SPA citing a senior minister.

 

This expansion will further solidify the country's position as a global logistics hub, stated Minister of Transport and Logistic Services and Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) Chairman Engineer Saleh Al Jasser after inaugurating the first edition of the Saudi Rail Conference and Exhibition in Riyadh.

 

The two-day event which concluded today (November 22) drew a range of high-profile officials, experts, and decision-makers from the global railway industry.

 

In his keynote speech, Al Jasser said Saudi Arabia had set ambitious plans for its rail infrastructure. 

 

"Under the vision and support of our wise leadership, the Kingdom is witnessing tremendous progress in rail development with the current network spanning over 5,500 km," he stated.

 

The minister put spotlight on its key networks, including the North Network, which connects Riyadh to the Jordanian border, and the East Network, linking Riyadh to the Arabian Gulf coast.

 

On the Haramain High-Speed Railways' success, Al Jasser said it is a cutting-edge electric rail system connecting Makkah and Madinah. 

 

"Since its launch in 2018, it has become one of the fastest in the world, serving over 20 million passengers and reducing road freight traffic by more than 1 million truck trips over the past year," stated Al Jasser.

 

He emphasized that these developments align with the National Transport and Logistics Strategy, a cornerstone of Saudi Vision 2030 and praised the unparalleled support provided by the Kingdom’s leadership to the transport and logistics sector, reported SPA.

 

During the conference, the minister also introduced the Asasat Program, aimed at localizing the railway industry in Saudi Arabia. 

 

The program is expected to generate investment opportunities worth SAR15 billion ($4 billion) by 2030, increase local content in SAR’s operations to 60% by 2025, and create over 3,000 jobs in the local market, he added.