ALBAWABA- Qatar and Saudi Arabia have signed a landmark agreement to build a high-speed electric rail line linking Riyadh and Doha, one of the Gulf’s largest joint infrastructure projects to date.
The deal, according to Qatar’s Al-Raya, marks a major step toward deeper economic integration and a unified regional transport network.
The 785-kilometer line will feature trains running at 300 km/h, cutting travel time between the two capitals to about two hours. Designed to carry more than 10 million passengers annually, the network will directly connect Riyadh and Doha, with extensions to Dammam and Al-Hofuf.
It will also link King Salman International Airport with Hamad International Airport, dramatically improving mobility for travelers and businesses moving between the region’s two fastest-growing aviation hubs.
Five smart, fully integrated passenger stations are planned, offering advanced digital services and enhanced comfort. Officials say the project will ease cross-border travel, fuel tourism, support major events, and reduce road congestion, improving overall quality of life while modernizing Gulf transport.
Economically, the railway is expected to generate around 30,000 direct and indirect jobs across both countries during construction and operation. It will also facilitate the movement of light and medium goods, lower transport costs, and strengthen shared logistics networks, boosting bilateral trade and speeding up supply-chain flows.
A joint Qatar–Saudi statement stressed that the new rail corridor aligns with both countries’ goals of diversifying trade and reinforcing cooperation in supply chains, transport, and energy. Experts say the project could become a cornerstone of broader GCC infrastructure integration.
The agreement was signed during Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani’s one-day visit to Riyadh, where he held high-level talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Both leaders co-chaired the eighth session of the Saudi-Qatari Coordination Council at Al-Yamamah Palace, reviewing progress across politics, security, energy, investment, culture, and education.
The high-speed rail deal, viewed as a symbol of the deepening partnership following the 2021 Al-Ula reconciliation, was the centerpiece of the meeting.
In a joint statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency and Qatar News Agency, the two sides hailed the council’s work in creating “strategic opportunities” for shared prosperity, with Sheikh Tamim describing it as a platform to broaden long-term cooperation.
