SAR confirms plans to link more cities to railway network

Logo of Saudi Arabia Railways - SAR

Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) plans to link more Saudi cities to the national railway network as part of future strategic projects, similar to the East, North and Haramain Trains, Al Eqtisadiah newspaper reported, citing CEO Bashar AlMalik.
 

He explained that trains have not reached some regions due to the Kingdom’s vast geography; however, these areas are included in future expansion plans.
 

New investments undergo thorough feasibility studies that assess expected returns and the support such projects will provide to industries and investments in those regions.
 

Speaking at the Saudi International Railways Conference, AlMalik noted that the East, North, and Haramain trains, operated by SAR, collectively transport more than 10 million passengers annually, with capacity utilization consistently high.
 

According to Argaam data, the total number of train passengers in Saudi Arabia since the start of this year has reached 111.2 million, including 102.4 million intra-city passengers and 8.8 million intercity passengers.
 

In 2024, the number of train passengers across the Kingdom rose to approximately 42.7 million, marking an increase of nearly 41% compared to 2023. Urban train journeys accounted for the majority of passengers at 31.1 million, while intercity passengers totaled around 11.6 million.