Saudi Railways Organisation (SRO) is a state-owned entity responsible for the upgrade and expansion of Saudi Arabia’s rail network, including the North-South Railway and the Haramain high-speed rail (HHR) project. Its new president, Mohamed Khalid al-Suwaiket, is charged with leading the extensive expansion programme that makes SRO one of the Gulf’s most active clients, as it rolls out some 10,000 kilometres of new rail lines.

Five years ago, SRO outlined the Saudi Railway Masterplan, covering the period up to 2040. Key targets include exploring the use of public-private partnerships in the development of a national railway network, as well as building rail links into neighbouring countries to support economic growth and diversification. Plans also eventually call for the privatisation of SRO and accelerating investments to improve its capacity to support national development.

Biggest schemes

The largest SRO projects under way include the 450km HHR track between Mecca and Medina and the 2,400km North-South railway between Al-Jouf and Riyadh.

[The HHR] will reduce road traffic to Mecca and Medina, especially during the busy Hajj pilgrimage

The masterplan covers the construction of freight and passenger transport, with plans to carry cargo between the main ports and industrial areas. A total of 9,900km of railway has been proposed, with the plan broken down into three phases. Stage one covers 2010-15 and involves the construction of 5,500km of railway.

The second phase covers 2026-33 and 3,000km of track. The third and final stage covers 2034-40, and will see 1,400km of lines built. The total investment required for the masterplan is about $98bn. The first phase should cost about $17bn, the second phase $56bn and the final phase $25bn.

High-speed rail

The HHR is the first high-speed passenger line to be built in the GCC. The link will connect the cities of Mecca and Medina via Jeddah, Rabigh and King Abdullah Economic City. When it is

completed in 2016, it will reduce road traffic to Mecca and Medina, especially during the busy Hajj pilgrimage. Up to 100 trains a day will run on the line.

Phase two is considered the most challenging part of the project. It covers the building of railway tracks, the installation of signalling and telecommunication systems, electrification, operational control centre, the purchase of 35 trains, and their operation and maintenance for 12 years. It also requires that a centre be set up to train Saudi graduates on the industry.

The contract for phase two, worth SR30.8bn ($8.2bn), was signed on 14 January 2012. The project is being funded by Saudi Arabia’s government-owned Public Investment Fund.

Feasibility study

Early work has started on another scheme in the Eastern Province. In September 2015, SRO appointed Spain’s Consultrans to carry out a study of the high-speed railway line between Dammam and Riyadh. The 10-month study involves evaluating the feasibility of the 480km high-speed railway linking Riyadh to Dammam through Hofuf.

SRO has also this year awarded Germany’s Dornier Consulting a contract to provide consultancy services for an update of the Saudi Railways Master Plan (SRMP). The aim of the SRMP update is to provide an ‘integrated and clear future vision for a safer, better and bigger railway network’, creating a conceptual framework for the long-term development of a future passenger and freight railway network that is consistent with the country’s National Transportation Strategy.

On occasion, SRO has seen fit to issue threats to contractors it believes are not pulling their weight sufficiently. For example, it warned the Saudi/Spanish-led Al-Shoula consortium that it might be removed from the HHR if delays continue to slow down progress.

In July 2015, SRO cancelled a previous order for six 200km/hour Talgo diesel train sets for use on the Riyadh-Dammam line, despite having announced the $201m contract to Talgo in February of this year.