Saudi Arabia ready to launch high-speed ‘Hamarain Express’
The new train service will be ready to serve the public this year, following final safety checks and operational readiness carried out for high-speed trains,Nabil Al-Amoudi, Minister of Transportation and Chairman of the Saudi Railway Organisation said.
The service is expected to carry up to 60 million passengers a year, including millions of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims. Construction started in March 2009.
Using electric propulsion that will drive the trains to an operating speed of 300kph, the express train is expected to cut travel time between the cities of Makkah and Madinah to under two hours, instead of six hours by bus.
The service is also expected to help ease road traffic congestion.
The latest test, conducted on Friday, carried with senior officials on board from the Saudi city of Madinah, the paper reported.
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Saudi Hamarain Express Train
60 million – number of passengers to be served per year
453 km – the distance covered by the two-way electric trains, linking the Saudi cities of Makkah and Madinah with extensions to Jeddah and King Abdullah Economic City.
5 – number of stations on the system (Makkah, Madinah via Jeddah, King Abdul Aziz International Airport and King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) in Rabigh).
35 trains — number of trains to be used on the line
417 – Seating capacity per train
300kph – Maximum speed the Hamarain Express Train
15 million – number of Umrah visitors to Saudi Arabia expected by 2020
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