Saudi King to inaugurate high-speed train line today

Riyadh - The 450 km-long Haramain rail line will connect the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia, will officially inaugurate a high-speed rail line connecting the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah on Tuesday.
The 450 km-long Haramain rail line will connect Makkah, Jeddah, King Abdulaziz International Airport, King Abdullah Economic City in Rabigh and Madinah, reports Efe news.
The new speed high rail service will be capable of travelling at speeds of more than 300 kilometres per hour.
Regular trains will start operating on the line from next month between the stations of Makkah Al Mukarramah, Madinah, Sulaymaniyah in Jeddah and King Abdullah Economic City, while trains to Jeddah's King Abdulaziz International Airport will begin around mid-2019.
The line is aimed at doubling the number of visitors and pilgrims to the holy cities and is in line with Saudi Arabia's development plan, Vision 2030, to expand the economy and reduce its dependence on oil.
With a fleet of 35 trains carrying up to 417 people each, the service is expected to ferry around 60 million passengers yearly.
The distance between Makkah-Madinah would be covered in less than two hours, which is less than half the time that it takes to cover the same distance by road.
A consortium comprising 12 Spanish firms along with two Saudi firms have been tasked with building the second phase of the project.
 

• Saudi Arabia