Saudi Arabia’s new Haramain High-Speed Railway opened to the public on Thursday, whisking travelers between Makkah and Madinah through King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) in Rabigh and Jeddah.
This inauguration took place two weeks after Custodian of Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz inaugurated railway journeys from Jeddah to Madinah.
The train will operate four days a week, from Thursday to Sunday.
Rumaih Al-Rumaih, chairman of the Public Transport Authority (PTA), said: “It is a moment that marks a historical national turning point in the Kingdom’s modern transportation.”
He also praised the role of the youth in ensuring the success of the project.
According to Project Director Saad al-Shehri, the railway’s first train set out from Madinah on Thursday -- en route to Makkah -- with 417 passengers aboard.
“Meanwhile, a similar journey was made in the opposite direction -- from Makkah to Madinah -- carrying the same number of passengers,” Shehri said.
The Haramain High-Speed Railway project is in line with the objectives of Vision 2030, as it should help increase the number of visitors to the Kingdom’s holy places.
The railway can transport annually 60 million passengers onboard a fleet of 35 trains, each one consisting of 417 seats. The trains, which can travel up to 300km per hour, are equipped with the latest technology to ensure comfort and safety.
The railway covers a distance of 450km, linking stations in Makkah, Jeddah, King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah (KAIA), King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) in Rabigh, and Madinah.
