Saudi Arabia’s Asharqia Metro is close to completion.
RELATED ARTICLES: Middle East on fast track to adopt multi-modal transport – expert | RTA signs MoU with Seoul transport body to enhance UAE rail sector | Feature: Staying on Track
Saudi Arabia’s Asharqia Metro is in the final stages of completion, with only the dates for its operation yet to be announced, the Kingdom’s Transport Minister has said.
“The metro project is being implemented with the support of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah,” Jabara Al Suraiseri, said in a report by Arab News.
“Railway projects will contribute in expanding the railway network in the Kingdom and increase local investment, eventually attracting foreign investment,” he said during an inauguration ceremony for Royal Commission of Jubail (RCJ) projects.
“Investors know that the province has a very well-developed infrastructure and potential for successful investment.”
“The railway network will directly be connected to port networks at the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf,” the minister added.
The Kingdom’s railway plan include the expansion and development of 19 railways that will span 9,000km. It will be implemented in three phases.
The first phase will implemented from 2010 to 2025, spanning a length of 5,500 km and costing $16.79 billion. This phase is classified as a high priority.
The second phase will last from 2026 to 2033 and span 3,000 km, costing $55.72 billion.
The third and final phase will last six years from 2034 to 2040 and will cover 1,400 km, costing $24.79 billion in a secondary priority classification.
This strategic plan includes other projects that are under study, including the Taif, Khamis Mushait and Abha railways, which span 706 km.
This railway line will connect Taif to Abha and Khamis Mushait. There is also a 660-km Jeddah-Jazan railway project and a 350-km Yanbu-Jeddah railway in the pipeline.