Saudi Railway Company (SAR) says it expects to invite companies to bid by the end of February for the contract to build a railway line between Ras al-Khair and Jubail.

“We need to study the site as it is a very critical area. [There is] a lot of piping, for example,” says a source at SAR. “We will assess the situation, so the [Ras] Al-Khair-Jubail [bids] might take longer, so end of next month.”

The 85-kilometre Ras al-Khair-Jubail line is the first part of the Ras al-Khair-Damman railway line. The second phase will see the line extended 125km from Jubail to Dammam.There will also be an internal railway in Jubail. Companies were asked to submit prequalification documents for the Ras al-Khair-Jubail line by 30 July 2011 (MEED 10:7:11).

Bids for the second phase from JUbail to Dammam are also expected to be invited at the end of February.

The work also includes geotechnical investigation, earthworks, procurement of all materials and equipment, track-laying, welding of the rails, installation of pipes and utilities and the construction and installation of bridges and culverts.

SAR has already completed the construction of the North-South minerals railway project. It will also now be responsible for the construction of the long-delayed $7bn Landbridge railway project, which will connect Jeddah port on the Red Sea coast with Riyadh and the ports of Dammam and Jubail on the Gulf coast.