Saudi Landbridge Project

{{Short description|Railway project in Saudi Arabia}} {{Infobox rail line | box_width =250px | name = Saudi Landbridge | color = | logo = | logo_width = | logo_alt = | image = | image_width = | image_alt = | caption ='''Dark blue''' is the Saudi Landbridge. <br>other lines: '''Red line''' is the '''Haramain High Speed Rail Project''' in western Saudi Arabia<br>'''Orange''' is the existing Dammam–Riyadh Line.<br>'''Green''' is the North South Railway. | type = | system = | status = Planned | locale = | start = Jeddah | end = Riyadh | stations = | routes = | daily_ridership = | open = | close = | owner = Saudi Railway Company (SAR) | operator = Saudi Railway Company (SAR) | character = | depot = | stock = | linelength = | tracklength = Jeddah-Riyadh; {{Convert|950|km|1}} and Jubail-Dammam; {{Convert|115|km|1}} | tracks = | gauge = {{RailGauge|sg}} | old_gauge = | minradius = | racksystem = | routenumber = | electrification = | speed = | elevation = | website = | map = 300px | map_state = }}

The '''Saudi Landbridge''' is a railway line currently under development by the Saudi Railway Company (SAR).<ref name=bafo>{{cite news | title=BAFOs Submitted for Saudi Landbridge Project | url =http://www.infra-news.com/newsdetails.asp?iNID=10870&TempID=5 | archive-url =https://archive.today/20130126061158/http://www.infra-news.com/newsdetails.asp?iNID=10870&TempID=5 | url-status =dead | archive-date =2013-01-26 | work =Infranews | date = 2008-02-28 | accessdate=2008-02-28}}</ref>

The 950 km (594 miles) ‘’Landbridge Line” has been planned to link Jeddah on the Red Sea coast with Riyadh, where it would link up with both the North-South Railway and the lines to Dammam, although no plan for construction has been announced.<ref> ''Trains of the Desert'' in "The Railway Magazine" (UK), April 2023, No 1,465, Volume 169; pages 32-35 </ref>

Intended mainly for freight,<ref name=rgi20111011 /> the railway will connect Jeddah on the Red Sea coast with the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh.<ref name=srexp>[http://www.saudirailexpansion.com/SaudiRailExpansion/inner.aspx?parent=420&secserno=422&prosecno=420 Saudi Landbridge Project] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080113121414/http://www.saudirailexpansion.com/SaudiRailExpansion/inner.aspx?parent=420&secserno=422&prosecno=420 |date=2008-01-13 }}. Retrieved 2008-01-09.</ref> The existing 450km line between Riyadh and Dammam will be upgraded,<ref name=ashurst>{{cite news | title = Saudi Landbridge Rail Project | url = http://www.ashurst.com/doc.aspx?id_Content=1908 | publisher = Ashurst | date = August 2005 | accessdate = 2008-01-09 | archive-date = 2012-02-10 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120210060031/http://www.ashurst.com/doc.aspx?id_Content=1908 | url-status = dead }}</ref> and a second 115km new line is planned to connect Dammam with Jubail on the coast of the Persian Gulf. <ref name=srexp /><ref name=rgi20111011 /> The line between Jubail and Dammam was inaugurated on April 28, 2024. The newly constructed lines will be single track, but the infrastructure (including bridges and tunnels) will be designed to permit a future upgrade to dual track.<ref name=ashurst /> The project is part of the Saudi vision 2030 that aims at being a logistic hub that connects the three contracts together.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.arabnews.com/node/1488556/saudi-arabia|title=Saudi, Chinese officials meet at Belt and Road Forum in Beijing|date=2019-04-26|website=Arab News|language=en|access-date=2019-05-01}}</ref>

==History== On 21 April 2008 the Tarabot consortium of seven Saudi companies and Asciano of Australia, was named as preferred bidder for the 50-year build, own the concession for the Landbridge project, with financial close planned within 12 months.<ref>{{cite news | title =Saudi Landbridge preferred bidder named | url =http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/10/saudi-landbridge-preferred-bidder-named.html | work =Railway Gazette International | date =2008-04-21 | archive-date =2020-01-01 | access-date =2009-08-25 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20200101183614/https://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/10/saudi-landbridge-preferred-bidder-named.html | url-status =dead }}</ref>

Completion was planned for 2010,<ref>{{cite news | title=The groundbreaking Saudi rail-link | url=http://www.christianwolmar.co.uk/2005/04/the-groundbreaking-saudi-rail-link/ | author=Christian Wolmar | author-link=Christian Wolmar | date = August 2005 | accessdate=2008-01-09}}</ref> however financial close could not be agreed.<ref>{{cite news | title=Saudi Landbridge PFI to be reviewed | url=http://www.railwaygazette.com/nc/news/single-view/view/saudi-landbridge-pfi-to-be-reviewed.html | work=Railway Gazette International | date=2009-07-08 | archive-date=2011-08-12 | access-date=2011-10-11 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110812203837/http://www.railwaygazette.com/nc/news/single-view/view/saudi-landbridge-pfi-to-be-reviewed.html | url-status=dead }}</ref> On 10 October 2011 the government decided the project would go ahead, but as a state project.<ref name=rgi20111011>{{cite news | title=Saudi Landbridge to go ahead as state project | url=http://www.railwaygazette.com/nc/news/single-view/view/saudi-landbridge-to-go-ahead-as-state-project.html | work=Railway Gazette International | date=2011-10-11 | archive-date=2011-12-18 | access-date=2011-10-11 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111218222519/http://www.railwaygazette.com/nc/news/single-view/view/saudi-landbridge-to-go-ahead-as-state-project.html | url-status=dead }}</ref> The cost was put at up to USD 7 billion.<ref name=rgi20111011 />

In July 2013, the contract for the design of the 958-kilometre Jeddah-Riyadh section of the project was awarded. The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) awarded the contract to prepare the detailed design of the project to Italferr in August 2015. At the Middle East Rail 2017 conference and exhibition in Dubai on 7 March 2017, SRO President Rumaih Al Rumaih announced that the detailed design for the project had been completed.<ref>{{cite web|title=Saudi completes design of railway project linking two coasts {{!}} Zawya MENA Edition|url=https://www.zawya.com/mena/en/story/Saudi_completes_design_of_railway_project_linking_two_coasts-ZAWYA20170307094132/|website=Zawya|accessdate=8 March 2017}}</ref> The project will be developed on a build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gdnonline.com/Details/193397|title=KSA Business: Saudi Arabia readies design for 950-km railway project}}</ref>

In April 2026 the contract for the design phase of the project was awarded to the spanish engineering company Typsa <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eleconomista.es/transportes-turismo/noticias/13876920/04/26/la-espanola-typsa-disenara-el-corredor-ferroviario-de-arabia-saudi-que-permitira-salvar-el-estrecho-de-ormuz.html?shem=dsdf,sharefoc,agadiscoversdl,,sh/x/discover/m1/4|title=La española Typsa diseñará el corredor ferroviario de Arabia Saudí que permitirá salvar el estrecho de Ormuz}}</ref>

==See also == {{Portal|Saudi Arabia}} *Haramain high-speed railway *Gulf Railway

==External links== * [http://www.saudirailways.org/ Saudi Railways Organization] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20150202154615/http://www.saudirailways.org/portal/page/portal/PRTS/root/Home/04_Expansion_Specification/04Expansion The Landbridge-dedicated page on the Saudi Railways site] * [https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=116108220894592316936.00047c6e2ff7ef959701e&ll=24.327077,42.93457&spn=11.456286,23.093262&z=6 An estimated route map]

== References == {{Reflist}}

Category:Proposed rail infrastructure in Saudi Arabia