E-Paper
Sign In
Saudi Arabia adds 20 new high-speed trains to Haramain Railway
These new trains will increase the current fleet, which operates more than 100 services, rising to more than 140 during the annual Hajj pilgrimage season
- PUBLISHED: Sun 8 Feb 2026, 8:38 PM
Saudi Transport announced on Sunday that it has awarded the contract to manufacture and maintain 20 new high-speed trains to the Spanish railway company Talgo for the Haramain High Speed Railway connecting the cities of Mekkah, Medinah, and Jeddah.
In a press release, the Spanish company said that this new order will add €1.3 billion ($1.54 billion) to Talgo’s order book, bringing it to a record high of nearly €6 billion.
Recommended For You
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels
These 20 new trains join the 35 that Talgo already supplied to Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) in 2018. This new contract was awarded by the Ministry of Transportation and Logistics and the Ministry of Finance through the Saudi Spanish Train Project Company (SSTPC), the Spanish consortium in charge of Phase II of the Haramain High Speed Railway project, of which Talgo is a member.
High-speed trains in Saudi
The 20 new trains will have characteristics equivalent to those of the 35 previously manufactured by Talgo, which the Spanish Consortium has operated in Saudi Arabia since 2018. Each train consists of two power cars (locomotives) and 13 coaches, with a capacity of 417 seats distributed across two classes, in addition to dedicated spaces for catering and for passengers with reduced mobility.
The acquisition of these 20 new trains is part of the Kingdom’s plans to continue expanding its passenger services and meet growing demand. Currently, the Saudi operator of the line has a fleet of 35 Talgo 350 trains, capable of reaching a maximum commercial speed of 300km/h, achieving excellent operational results and customer satisfaction.
In this regard, Phase II of the ‘Haramain High Speed Railway’ project, which this client had with the Spanish consortium, has been extended for the operation and maintenance period. With this new contract, Talgo will be responsible for maintaining all the trains that will make up the expanded fleet — the 35 existing trains and the 20 additional ones — until 2033, with the possibility of extending the contract until 2038.
Train features
The 20 new trains will have full platform-level access and no steps inside the train. This allows for faster passenger movement during peak demand and facilitates passenger and luggage movement.
These new trains will increase the current fleet on the line, which operates more than 100 services on a typical day with Talgo trains, rising to more than 140 during the annual Hajj pilgrimage season. In 2025, nearly two million passengers were transported during Hajj.
The Haramain Railway line is 450 km long and is built and operated to virtually the same standards as the Spanish high-speed rail network, with a maximum commercial speed of 300 km/h and ERTMS Level 2 signalling. As part of the contract to maintain the trains, Talgo also operates two maintenance facilities in Saudi Arabia, employing more than 270 people.
Ajanta Paul is a Senior Editor on the Digital team. A natural leader and newshound, she thrives in breaking news and high-pressure situations — and enjoys reporting on community issues that matter to UAE residents.
