Saudi Arabian Railways (SAR) recently issued a tender announcement, soliciting bids from consulting firms for the design review and construction supervision services of the Riyadh Railway Link project. The deadline is September 28th. This key development marks the substantial progress of the strategic infrastructure project of Saudi Arabia's land bridge railway.

The project plans to construct a 35 kilometer double track railway, starting from the north of Riyadh and ending in the south, connecting the Saudi North South railway network with the eastern railway network, forming a cross hub for national railway transportation. The project content not only covers track laying, but also includes the construction of elevated bridges, earthworks, signal system installation and other supporting infrastructure throughout the entire chain. According to MEED's previous report, SAR has initiated pre review of construction contracts last week, indicating that the project has entered the comprehensive preparation period.

As a core component of the Saudi land bridge railway, the Riyadh connection line will activate the strategic value of the entire project. The total investment of the land bridge plan exceeds 7 billion US dollars, with a total length of over 1500 kilometers of new tracks, including three key sub projects:

Red Sea Capital Freight Corridor: Construct a 900 kilometer new line directly connecting King Abdullah Port in the Red Sea with Riyadh, creating a sea rail intermodal fast track;

Upgrading of the Eastern Main Line: Modernizing the existing Riyadh Dammam Line to enhance transportation capacity;

Western Extension Project: Construct a new railway connection line from Abdullah Port to Yanbu, and improve the western industrial corridor.

The Saudi land bridge project was first proposed in 2004, but was temporarily shelved in 2010 due to issues such as land acquisition, route planning disputes, and high costs. In December 2023, a consortium consisting of Hill International from the United States, Italferr from Italy, and Sener from Spain won the project management service contract, injecting key impetus into the restart of the project. The bidding for the Riyadh connection line further confirms the Saudi government's firm determination to promote the project.

If implemented smoothly, the Saudi land bridge will become the largest railway project in the Middle East and rank among the top infrastructure projects in the world. The project will not only significantly improve the efficiency of freight transportation within Saudi Arabia and reduce logistics costs, but also reshape the trade and logistics pattern of the entire Middle East region through the layout of the Red Sea Persian Gulf dual channel. As the bidding process progresses, this mega project carrying Saudi Arabia's 2030 vision is accelerating from blueprint to reality.Editor/Cheng Liting