Contractors from South Korea, China, France, Spain and Turkey are preparing to submit bids by 1 May for work on phase two of the $7bn Haramain high-speed railway network that will link Mecca and Medina.

The Saudi Railway Organisation shortlisted five consortiums for work on phase two in October 2009.

The consortiums are the Saudi Binladin Group; the Badr consortium led by South Korea’s Integrated Transportation Company together with Samsung C&T Corporation; China South Locomotive & Rolling Stock Corporation consortium; the local Al-Shoula Group; and the local Al-Rajhi Holding Group.

The contract involves building railway lines, installing signals and communications and operations and maintenance. The contract includes the procurement and maintenance of the trains and maintenance of the whole network for 12 years once the project is complete.

The work on phase two will involve building 25 rail bridges, 157 crossings including wadi bridges and culverts, and 70 crossings for camels and cars in Mecca and Medina.

Contracts for phase one have already been awarded with Al-Rajhi Alliance working on package one of phase one of the 440km line, which covers civil works.

Foster & Partners and Buro Happold, both UK firms, are working on package two of phase one, covering the design of four stations along the route.

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is financing the railway project in an attempt to speed up construction.