JEDDAH: Saudi Railway Co. CEO Bashar Al-Malik announced that a new railway linking Riyadh and Jeddah is planned to be completed in phases by 2034.

In an interview with Rotana Khalejia broadcaster Abdullah Al-Mudaifer, Al-Malik discussed the Kingdom’s rail network, its history, and major current and future projects.

He confirmed that the Riyadh-Jeddah line forms part of the Saudi Landbridge project, one of the most ambitious transport initiatives in the Kingdom.

Minister of Transport and Logistics Saleh Al-Jasser had said in an interview in 2022 that the Landbridge is being developed with an international consortium led by a Chinese company. He estimated the project could be completed within five to seven years.

According to Al-Jasser, the route, cost, and seven logistics hubs have already been identified. The railway will extend from Yanbu to King Abdullah Economic City, then to Jeddah and Riyadh, before linking with the Eastern Railway and the Northern Railway.