Saudi Arabia to Inaugurate Longest Rail Linking Riyadh with Cities on Northern Borders

[Al-Andalus]

Saudi Arabia to Inaugurate Longest Rail Linking Riyadh with Cities on Northern Borders​

OBAID AL-SUHAYMI

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Dammam- The Saudi Railway Company (SAR) is close to inaugurating a train line for passengers that links Riyadh and the King Khalid International Airport with the northern borders of the country.

The company inaugurated a trial trip between the capital and the city of Majmaah; the trip was attended by Dr. Rumaih Al Rumaih, CEO of the Saudi Arabia Railway Company (SAR), where he was briefed on the company’s preparation to operate the train of passengers.

Rumaih examined self-service devices of ticketing, luggage zones, inspection points, and the service in the train during trip. With this step, Saudi Arabia is close to making the longest rail line linking the country’s heart with its northern region.

SAR also announced that it reached the maximum capacity in transporting metals by carrying around 787,000 tons during September; the highest record achieved since the operation of metal transfer line in 2011.

SAR has made remarkable achievements in the transportation of metals between mines, treatment and export zones. Transited quantities of phosphate and bauxite have reached 434.091 tons and 353.500 tons respectively during September.

For his part, Dr. Rumaih lauded the remarkable cooperation between SAR and the Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Maaden), and the spirit of teamwork that led to reaching these records.

He also asserted that the records achieved by SAR come as results of the integration among sectors of operation, maintenance of infrastructure, rails, centers of command, in addition to the sectors of support. Rumaih highlighted the significant expertise and knowledge built by the company over the past five years in operating and managing services of metal transportation.

SAR’ CEO pointed that the metal transportation line didn’t only contribute to enhancing metal in industry in the Kingdom, but has also fulfilled qualitative values in many fields. It has decreased the country’s dependence on trucks and reduced diesel consumption by 70%, which has maintained the safety of environment and reduced the number of accidents on the roads.

It is worth mentioning that the Saudi Railway Company (SAR) owned by the Public Investment Fund was established in 2006. It aims at implementing and operating rail networks to links different regions in the Kingdom.

http://english.aawsat.com/2016/10/a...t-rail-linking-riyadh-cities-northern-borders

GCC's planned rail network which likely will be expanded many times more and probably (hopefully) expand into neighboring Arab states and from there the remaining world.

Once the Saudi Arabian-Egyptian Causeway has been completed linking KSA and Egypt, Africia can be connected and Northern KSA can be connected to Jordan, Iraq, Syria in the future and from there Turkey and Europe next door. There is also the eastern option sometime in the future once/if relations improve. If not technology will make it possible to link the remaining part of Asia by bypassing Iran through Oman or northwards.

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An example of an railway station in Northern KSA (Al-Jouf)

Saudi Arabian Railway Company

The locomotives for SAR are manufactured by Vossloh Spain, which is a special variant of the Vossloh Eurolight.​

 

[KediKesenFare3]

I visited Saudi Arabia once (Mekka, Medina and Jidda). I know how big the country really is. It's better to fly from North to South than taking a train. Am I wrong?

 

[Al-Andalus]

I visited Saudi Arabia once (Mekka, Medina and Jidda). I know how big the country really is. It's better to fly from North to South than taking a train. Am I wrong?

You are absolutely right. It is much quicker and easier currently to fly from North to South and from West to East. This is because the public transportation infrastructure in KSA could be much better than it is currently. That is why the government has started/plan to improve the infrastructure a lot by building several new airports all across the country, new railways, metros etc. Many of those projects have already started and are in full swing although some have slowed down a bit due to the lower oil prices and general economic uncertainty in the world. However this is mostly impacting a few private firms mainly Saudi Oger and Saudi Binladin Group but things are done to correct this.

Anyway it is very expensive, even for KSA, to built a top modern infrastructure in all corners of such a big country. Also there is the challenge of topography, geology and wilderness.

However the road system in KSA is very good in general. One of the best in the world IMO. As for road safety this is another matter, lol. But this is a MENA phenomenon if you look at the statistics. However things are also improving on this front.

Road safety was/is actually the biggest killer in KSA along with obesity related diseases.

Also Turkish construction companies are much involved in KSA's attempts at improving the infrastructure. Many Turkish companies are operating in KSA and there is also a significant Turkish diaspora in KSA.

As for geographical challenges I can give you one specific example. The Saudi Arabian-Omani Highway is being built through the mighty Rub' al-Khali.

leading line shot by SAUD سعود الرشيد, on Flickr

The road I am talking about is the one colored in red on this map.

@alarabi bro, if you have something to add feel free to do so.

 

[Al-Andalus]

They should also focus on Northwestern KSA (Northern Hijaz) which could be/will be the gate to neighboring Egypt and Sham. Northeast should be a gate to Iraq. There are many population centers in the northwest. In fact there should be a straight railway that encompasses the entire almost 2000 km long Red Sea coastline from Haql in the north to Jazan in the south. Most of the population live in Western KSA after all and it would also be a fantastic railway in terms of scenery (mountains, coastline etc.). However the costs would most likely be enormous and it would take them ages to built as well knowing their usual tempo.

 

[SALMAN F]

Nice the pictures are beautiful

 

[mike2000 is back]

They should also focus on Northwestern KSA (Northern Hijaz) which could be/will be the gate to neighboring Egypt and Sham. Northeast should be a gate to Iraq. There are many population centers in the northwest. In fact there should be a straight railway that encompasses the entire almost 2000 km long Red Sea coastline from Haql in the north to Jazan in the south. Most of the population live in Western KSA after all and it would also be a fantastic railway in terms of scenery (mountains, coastline etc.). However the costs would most likely be enormous and it would take them ages to built as well knowing their usual tempo.

So Serco and Network rail are also present in KSA?
So they are expanding abroad meanwhile they haven't improved our transport system efficiency much?, what are the doing there?

On a serious note though, This is a good initiative, Infrastructure development always precedes development. I have been to almost all GCC countries, but not KSA , and Iran(though its not part of the Gulf). Hopefully i can visit these two big countries one day.

 

[Al-Andalus]

Nice the pictures are beautiful

KSA and Iraq should be linked by railway once stability reaches Iraq again. Would be great. Roads and oil pipelines once again as well. The current situation is sad and only due to regime policies and events that are outside the control of the average man and woman in both countries.
Our brothers and sisters in for instance Southern Iraq (Basra, Karbala, Najaf, Samawa, Nasiriyah, Zubayr etc.) and vice versa should be able to visit each other across the border and relatives (distant as close - nowadays it is mostly distant) as throughout all of recorded history and most recent era before all the conflicts.

The current situation is deeply unnatural. I suggest asking the older generation in Southern Iraq and vice versa in KSA. Today there is too much misunderstanding between the common man. People have a difficult time distinguishing between official regime policies and the population of country x or y. It should not be like that.

People should have exchanges with each other so stereotypes and misunderstandings will be defeated. Nowadays it is mostly only through the internet which is a "special" source of communication. People do not act in real life like they do on the internet.

Iraq and Kuwait have already opened up a bit on this front. Many from Basra and Zubayr visit Kuwait in the weekends. I could have visited relatives in Iraq (Baghdad) this summer if not for the situation and visa problematic (bureaucracy). Southern Iraq is relatively safe though so I will likely visit Southern Iraq in the upcoming future.

 

[f1000n]

KSA and Iraq should be linked by railway once stability reaches Iraq again. Would be great. Roads and oil pipelines also. The current situation is sad and only due to regimes. People in for instance Southern Iraq (Basra, Karbala, Najaf, Samawa, Nasiriyah, Zubayr etc.) should be able to visit each other across the border as throughout all of recorded history and most recent era before all the conflicts.

@f1000n

People there stand on the rails and disobey rules, too many people still throw garbage on the streets and believe it's someone else job to clean that up resulting in a dirty country, I don't see that in Western Europe whilst it's the most normal thing to do in the ME. You can take the 160 km/h capable Chinese trains that operate in Iraq as an example, whilst they are capable of 160 km/h they can nowhere reach that due to people's behavior. Our countries still rely too much on the public services and authority. Not only (preferably high speed) rail infrastructure, there should also be a better highway network, though that isn't achievable when drivers don't follow rules which is more of a regional effort. I haven't been to the ME for 12 years now, given that i'm not sure if I should talk about this in too much detail.

 

[Al-Andalus]

People there stand on the rails and disobey rules, too many people still throw garbage on the streets and believe it's someone else job to clean that up resulting in a dirty country, I don't see that in Western Europe whilst it's the most normal thing to do in the ME. You can take the 160 km/h capable Chinese trains that operate in Iraq as an example, whilst they are capable of 160 km/h they can nowhere reach that due to people's behavior. Our countries still rely too much on the public services and authority. Not only (preferably high speed) rail infrastructure, there should also be a better highway network, though that isn't achievable when drivers don't follow rules which is more of a regional effort. I haven't been to the ME for 12 years now, given that i'm not sure if I should talk about this in too much detail.

Actually such behavior, while present occasionally in KSA, is not really a big issue in KSA or the GCC. It's minor. That problem was not really present in Iraq before the conflicts either. So I believe that you are too negative about the future. People have 100 times more serious issues to worry about in Iraq so we should not criticize them too much. However I do agree that people should take more INDIVIDUAL responsibility. For good and bad the dominant "culture" in the Arab world is that of the group and community thinking.

For instance road safety is a very serious issue in KSA but for instance the government has recently started to be more serious in punishing drifters and people who do not follow the rules on the road. This change requires a change of mentality though and a change of policy.

For instance the government in both countries should built more race tracks for the youth. This is done in Europe and would help the problem of road safety greatly. However do to whatever reasons (mostly moronic) this is not done to the degree it should be done.

Same with enforcing fines if you break the rules on the road. If not even the police takes it seriously why should the citizenry?

Essentially it is all about a strong central state that is able to enforce the rules and the citizens should also see a reason for following the rules. Meaning that they should receive benefits from what the state is offering them. This way both groups will work with each other. Give and take in other words.

Anyway speaking about dirt, this is especially a problem in Southern Iraq, which I have never understood as cities such as Basra and others are very rich and have a large budget. I know that the population there is quite big and growing quickly too but that should not be an excuse IMO. Not saying that other parts of Iraq are Singapore but there is a clear difference.

Even @Malik Alashter mentioned this to me when he spoke about his time in KSA in the early 1990's as a refugee. And Northern KSA is not really that much developed compared to other regions of KSA and this was 25 years ago. It is a rural region mostly.

Anyway an Iraqi from Southern Iraq should explain this to me. My own theory based on historical knowledge and what I have heard from people is that it is a legacy of Southern Iraq being neglected for many decades. However many regions in the region have been that, in KSA as well, but that should not be an excuse to improve simple things such as dealing with dirt better. This is something the citizens of the village, town or city should work with each other to solve. I mean grass roots groups. This is at least my opinion. Anyway I have seen such projects due to social media in both countries among young people so this is good.

Anyway this can all be solved I am more worried about reckless regime policies which makes people hate each other in a very volatile region already.

Maybe secularism really is the answer for this region but it cannot be the entire answer either. Rather I believe it is due to corruption and incompetent people in power and nepotism. This region has tremendous potential and many good traditions. If just the right people had power it would be much better. Religion or not. I am sure of this. Maybe I am young and naive but I see many goodness and good deeds from ordinary people that never reach the news. So this extreme negativity I do not buy. Also 12 years is a long time. A lot has changed since that era.

 

[alarabi]

I think they started using and operating the NSR between Riyadh and the North

That's good progress, hopefully it reduces the number of trucks on the roads

 

[Al-Andalus]

Rub' al-Khali.

 

[Al-Andalus]

 

[Eminent Mainstream Media]

KSA should've invested in HSR and Freight corridors across the country- But I think Oil companies would not have allowed that for a long time-

 

[flamer84]

KSA should've invested in HSR and Freight corridors across the country- But I think Oil companies would not have allowed that for a long time-

What oil companies.? Saudis manage their own oil through the ARAMCO juggernaut.

 

[Al-Andalus]

KSA should've invested in HSR and Freight corridors across the country- But I think Oil companies would not have allowed that for a long time-

Did you bother to read this thread before commenting? As for the rest, it makes no sense. Anyway I am used to such kind of posts that make no sense from users from your part of the world. No offense.

Trains to use noise reduction technology​

Noise reduction technology will be applied on Haramain Trains passing through residential areas​

Oct 3, 2016

JEDDAH — The Haramain Train Project includes noise reduction designs in residential areas, according to a source familiar with the project.

The source said the project would be completed in 2017 and operational in 2018.

“The testing of the train is ongoing from Madinah station to King Abdullah Economic City station. The project is in its second phase. The trip between Madinah and King Abdullah Economic City takes 61 minutes. The trip between King Abdullah Economic City and King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah takes 36 minutes,” the source said.

A trip from King Abdulaziz International Airport to Al-Sulaimaniyah Station will take 14 minutes.

“The project has the capacity to transport 60 million passengers a year and the trains will run at a speed of 300 km per hour from Makkah to Madinah.

The contractor of the second phase is working around the clock to extend the railway and install the electricity cables. There are electricity cables extending from Rabigh all the way to Jeddah and Makkah,” the source said.

The trains to be used in the project are imported from Spain.

“There are eight trains so far but the project plans to import a total of 35 trains,” the source said.

http://saudigazette.com.sa/saudi-ara...on-technology/

Anyway in KSA only Arabian horses and camels are allowed to be used as methods of land transportation. Everything else is banned. I personally prefer walking with my old stick and every time I see a car I throw stones at it.