Saudi Arabia and Qatar to Establish 785 km High-Speed Electric Rail Link

The Council of Ministers of Saudi Arabia has approved an agreement to establish a high-speed electric rail service linking the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with the State of Qatar.

The decision was made during the Cabinet’s weekly session chaired by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

The railway will cover a distance of 785 kilometres, connecting the capitals Riyadh and Doha. The route will include major stations in Al-Hofuf and Dammam, as well as connections to Hamad International Airport in Qatar and King Salman International Airport in Saudi Arabia.

Designed to operate at speeds exceeding 300 kilometres per hour, the train is expected to reduce travel time between the two capitals to approximately two hours. Officials noted that the service will support regional travel, facilitate commerce and tourism, and contribute to economic activity.

The project is projected to serve more than 10 million passengers annually and generate over 30,000 direct and indirect jobs. Estimates indicate that the railway could contribute around 115 billion SAR to the combined GDP of Saudi Arabia and Qatar once completed.

Authorities highlighted that the initiative is part of broader efforts to enhance regional infrastructure and strengthen collaboration between Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries through an integrated railway network.