Key points
- Saudi Arabia and Qatar agree to construct a high-speed rail linking Riyadh and Doha
• Train will travel at over 300km/h, with journey time around two hours
• Project expected to serve 10 million passengers annually and create 30,000 jobs
• Marks a significant milestone in Gulf reconciliation after the 2017 diplomatic rift
RIYADH/DOHA: Saudi Arabia and Qatar have signed a formal agreement to build a high-speed rail connecting their capitals, the first project of its kind between the two Gulf nations that were once deeply at odds.
The “high-speed electric passenger railway” will link Riyadh’s King Salman International Airport with Doha’s Hamad International Airport. The network will also include the Saudi cities of Al-Hofuf and Dammam. Trains are designed to travel at speeds exceeding 300 kilometres per hour (186 mph), reducing travel time between the two capitals to roughly two hours, compared with about 90 minutes by plane.
The six-year project is expected to serve 10 million passengers per year and create around 30,000 jobs across both countries. The agreement was signed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani during the Emir’s visit to Riyadh.
The rail deal represents one of the most significant modern infrastructure initiatives between the two kingdoms and highlights the ongoing improvement in relations. Saudi Arabia, along with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Egypt, had severed diplomatic and transport ties with Qatar in June 2017 over accusations that Doha supported groups like the Muslim Brotherhood and aligned with Iran — claims Qatar denied.
Relations were fully restored in January 2021 following a summit in Saudi Arabia’s AlUla a historic desert city known for its archaeological heritage and cultural significance. Since then, the two nations have regularly coordinated diplomatic efforts, including supporting ceasefire initiatives in the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Riyadh also backed Qatar after an Israeli strike targeted Hamas leaders in Qatar in September, resulting in at least six deaths and several injuries.
The high-speed rail project is a symbolic and practical step in deepening cooperation and regional connectivity between the two Gulf neighbours.
