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Saudi Arabia Railways

Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) is the national railway company of Saudi Arabia. It is a state-owned enterprise, owned by the PIF.[2][3]

History

Saudi Arabia Railways, formerly known as the Saudi Railway Company, was established in 2006 to build, operate, and manage the North–South railway.[4]

In February 2021, approval was granted to merge the Saudi Railways Organization and the Saudi Railway Company.[5] The merger was completed on 1 April 2021,[6] forming the unified national railway operator now known as Saudi Arabia Railways.[7][2]

Railways

Passenger Network

  • West Train (Haramain High Speed Railway)
  • Medina – King Abdullah Economic City – Jeddah – Mecca
  • North Train (Riyadh–Qurayyat railway)
  • Riyadh – Majmaah – Hail – Al-Qassim – Al-Jouf – Qurayyat
  • A separate luxury service, the Dream of the Desert Train, also operates along this route.[8]
  • East Train (Dammam–Riyadh railway)
  • Dammam – Hofuf – Abqaiq – Riyadh

Freight Network

  • North–South railway
  • Primarily used for transporting minerals, phosphate, and industrial goods. Shares infrastructure with the Riyadh–Qurayyat railway.
  • Dammam–Riyadh railway
  • Used for bulk freight and container traffic between the eastern port of Dammam and Riyadh. branches with the Dammam–Riyadh passenger railway
  • Saudi Landbridge Project
  • Currently under development; planned to link the Red Sea port of Jeddah with the Eastern Province to enable faster freight movement across the country.

Rolling stock

Electric and diesel trainsets

Diesel locomotives

See also

  • Transport in Saudi Arabia
  • Rail transport in Saudi Arabia
  • Ministry of Transport and Logistic Services

External links

  • SAR| Home - Saudi Arabia Railways official website

References

  1. Haramain Train to resume service within 30 days Saudigazette, October 1, 2019^
  2. Saudi Arabia Railways invites bids to supply next generation inter-city trains Railway Gazette International^
  3. Saudi Arabia Railways phosphate train Network Rail^
  4. Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc. is Awarded New Locomotive Contract for 25 SD70ACS Locomotives from Saudi Railway Company (SAR) retrieved 2015-09-29^
  5. Saudi Railways Organization and Saudi Railways Company merger approved Global Railsay Review, 2021-02-19, retrieved 2021-02-20^
  6. سياسي / مجلس الوزراء يعقد جلسته ـ عبر الاتصال المرئي ـ برئاسة خادم الحرمين الشريفين وكالة الأنباء السعودية February 17, 2021^
  7. Train travel in Saudi Arabia | Riyadh to Dammam trains www.seat61.com^
  8. Dream of the Desert: Saudi Arabia’s new luxury train with 33 suites The National, International Media Investments, 29 October 2025, retrieved 30 November 2025^
  9. Push-Pull Train for the Saudi Railway Company (SAR).^
  10. CAF wins contracts from Saudi Rail March 18, 2012, retrieved 27 January 2023^
  11. Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc. Wins New Locomotive Contract for 25 SD70ACS Locomotives from Saudi Railway Company (SAR).^
  12. HaRakevet: Rothschild PhD, Rabbi Walter (2010), New mineral railway Issue 90.^
  13. Saudi Arabia - Saudi Railways Organisation : Prototypes by Country - TT scale trains and models retrieved 2023-01-29^
  14. Dierdorp, Sicco & Davy Beumer (2011), D.E.-Locomotieven serie 2200/2300 en 2400/2500. Alkmaar: De Alk.^
  15. Pictures of SRO 1501 www.rrpicturearchives.net^
  16. compiled by Jeffery S. Ward. EMD 778050; SDL38-2; Saudi Arabia; Gov't Ry 2004-2009^
  17. RailPictures.Net Photo: SRO 3527 Saudi Railways Organization EMD SDL50 at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia by Tom Hewitt www.railpictures.net^
  18. . World rolling stock market May 2014 www.railwaygazette.com, 11 May 2014, retrieved 29 January 2023^
  19. Railway Gazette International. Qishuyan locos head for Saudi Arabia Railway Gazette International, retrieved 2025-10-04^
  20. Keith Barrow. Chinese locomotives shipped to Saudi Arabia International Railway Journal, 2015-07-29, retrieved 2025-10-04^