The fifth passenger station of the $7bn Haramain high-speed railway will be located in the new King Abdulaziz International airport in Jeddah.

The design and construction of this station will be carried out as part of the airport’s development plan, but will remain in keeping with the other four stations. The construction of the first four passenger stations on the Haramain high-speed railway will cost about SR9.4bn ($2.5bn).

In February, local companies Saudi Binladin Group and Saudi Oger won the contract to build the four stations (MEED 1:2:11).

Saudi Binladin Group with Turkey’s Yapi Merkezi will build stations at Mecca and Medina at a cost of about SR3.2bn and SR1.6bn respectively. Saudi Oger will build the stations at Jeddah at a cost of SR2.9bn and a station at King Abdullah Economic City in Rabigh for SR1.7bn.

A joint venture of the UK’s Foster and Partners and Buro Happold has completed the designs for the stations. The Haramain high-speed railway will be financed through the government’s Public Investment Fund to speed up development.

Each station will comprise concourses, a mosque that can accommodate more than 600 people, civil defence stations, a helipad, 10 terminals, short and long-term parking facilities, VIP lounges, shops, restaurants and cafes. The stations will also be linked to the public transport system in each city.