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Neom has extended by four months the tender closing date for the contract to provide rolling stock for the high-speed and freight railways running alongside The Line and connecting to the Oxagon industrial city development.

Qualified bidders have until 5 February 2024 to submit proposals for the contract, according to a source familiar with the project.   

As well as the provision of rolling stock, the contract covers the electrification, signalling and control systems for the Connector South and The Spine. 

Related read: Neom's top five projects

The Spine is the infrastructure corridor running parallel to The Line that includes the high-speed rail, while the Connector South links Oxagon to The Line.

MEED understands the prospective bidders for the contract include:

• Alstom (France)
• Caf (Spain)
• CRRC (China)
• Hitachi Rail (Japan)
• Siemens (Germany)
• Talgo (Spain)

MEED reported that the contract was tendered in May this year.  

Civil works

Construction work for the railway network at Neom has already started. 

In early May, a joint venture of Italy-based Webuild and Riyadh-headquartered Shibh al-Jazira Contracting (Sajco) secured a $1.5bn contract to build the Connector South.

The contract involves the construction of a 75-kilometre railway line, including earthworks, 14 viaducts, seven roads, nine rail underpasses, 152 culverts (pipe and box culverts), a freight line, infrastructure maintenance depots and associated facilities.

The infrastructure corridor will run south from The Line to Neom City Station through Neom Bay Mansions, Neom Bay Airport and on to Oxagon.