Saudi Landbridge Project

SRO Saudi Landbridge Project
Overview
Status Planned
Termini Jeddah
Riyadh
Operation
Owner Saudi Railways Organization (SRO)
Operator(s) Saudi Railways Organization (SRO)
Technical
Track length Jeddah-Riyadh; 950 kilometres (590.3 mi) and Jubail-Dammam; 115 kilometres (71.5 mi)
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 12 in)
Route map

The Saudi Landbridge Project is a planned railway project which forms part of the Saudi Railways Expansion Programme.[1]

Intended mainly for freight,[2] the railway will connect Jeddah on the Red Sea coast with the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh.[3] The existing 450 km line between Riyadh and Dammam will be upgraded,[4] and a second 115 km new line is planned to connect Dammam with Jubail on the Persian Gulf.[3][2] The newly constructed lines will be single track, but the infrastructure (including bridges and tunnels) will be designed to permit a future upgrade to dual track.[4]

Status

On 21 April 2008 the Tarabot consortium of seven Saudi companies and Asciano of Australia, was named as preferred bidder for the 50-year build, own the concession for the Landbridge project, with financial close planned within 12 months.[5]

The Tarabot consortium consisted of the following firms: Adbulaziz Alsaghyir Commercial Investment Co, Abdullatif & Mohammed Al-Fozan Development Co, Abdul Kadir Al Muhaidib & Sons, Omran M Al Omran & Partners Co Ltd, Mohamed & AbdullahI Al-Subeaei, HH Prince Sultan bin Mohammed bin Saud Al Kabeer Al Saud, Arabian Company for Water & Power Development, Asciano, Pacific National, Orascom Construction Industries, Obrascón Huarte Lain, Allen & Overy LLP, White & Case, Ove Arup & Partners Limited, Atkins, Petrocon Arabia Ltd, and BNP Paribas.

Completion was planned for 2010,[6] however financial close could not be agreed.[7]

On 10 October 2011 the government decided the project would go ahead, but as a state project.[2] The cost was put at up to USD 7 billion.[2]

See also

References


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