Saudi Arabia and Qatar have signed a landmark agreement to construct a high-speed electric passenger railway linking their capital cities, Riyadh and Doha. The project, announced through official Saudi sources, will also connect the Saudi cities of Al-Hofuf and Dammam as part of the wider rail network.
The high-speed train is expected to travel at speeds exceeding 300 kilometres per hour, cutting the journey time between Riyadh and Doha to around two hours. By comparison, a direct flight between the two cities currently takes about 90 minutes.
The rail project is scheduled for completion within six years and is designed to serve up to 10 million passengers annually. The agreement was signed during the official visit of Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to Riyadh and was formalised by him and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The high-speed rail link is expected to significantly enhance mobility between the two Gulf nations, support tourism, strengthen trade ties, and contribute to broader regional economic integration.
