The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of KSA has launched the Haramain High Speed Rail, the Saudi Press Agency has reported. The railway is part of King Salman's plan to achieve the comfort of Hajj and umrah pilgrims.
In a speech at the launch ceremony Dr Nabil bin Mohammed Al-Amoudi, Minister of Transport, KSA was cited as saying, "The journey between Makkah and Madinah has become closer and easier than ever before. In conjunction with the 88th National Day, this great project is only a confirmation of the Kingdom's commitment to serve Islam and Muslims."
The Minister of Transport disclosed that the railway spans 450 km and has a capacity of 60 million passengers annually. The minister added that the project had been implemented according to international best practices.
The railway has five stations, Makkah, Madinah, Rabigh King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC), Jeddah-based King Abdulaziz International Airport and downtown Jeddah.
KAEC, along the coast of the Red Sea, offers 100% foreign ownership for individuals and organisations, seaport and bonded zone regulations, and ease of access to permits and licenses related to residing, working, operating businesses, and owning and managing properties.
King Salman then boarded the train from Jeddah to Madinah. With the train said to travel at between 300 and 400 kmh and the distance between Jeddah and Madinah at 328 km, the journey by high speed rail is estimated to take an hour or less. The same trip by car would have taken four hours and by air, about an hour.