Saudi Arabia’s Haramain Railway connects holy cities at speeds of 300 kilometres per hour

Countries & Cities · Published 15 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Spanning 449 kilometres across western Saudi Arabia, the Haramain High Speed Railway links the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. This engineering feat, which officially opened in 2018, represents the first high-speed rail network in the Middle East, designed to withstand extreme desert temperatures while transporting millions of passengers annually.

The Haramain High Speed Railway (HHR) is a massive infrastructure project that serves as a vital artery between Mecca and Medina. Construction began in March 2009, with the project originally slated for completion in 2012. However, the line did not open to the public until 11 October 2018, taking six years longer to finish than initially anticipated. The total contract value for this ambitious undertaking was approximately US$9.4 billion.

The railway is built to operate under harsh environmental conditions, with infrastructure designed to endure temperatures ranging from 0 °C to 50 °C. The double-track line is electrified and features a maximum design speed of up to 360 km/h, though operational speeds are capped at 300 km/h. The journey between the two termini takes roughly two hours. To support this, the project required extensive civil engineering, including 46 rail bridges, 9 wadi bridges, and even 12 dedicated camel crossings to ensure safety and connectivity across the desert landscape.

The project faced significant operational hurdles, including a major fire on 29 September 2019 that destroyed the Al Sulimaniyah–Jeddah Station. While the cause of the fire, which involved fibre-reinforced plastic roof panels, remains unknown, a bypass line was quickly constructed to maintain service. Furthermore, the HHR was suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with services between the holy cities resuming in March 2021. Today, the system utilizes 36 Talgo 350 trains, each with a seating capacity of 417, reflecting the scale of a project expected to transport 60 million passengers annually.

The design of the five stations was handled by Foster+Partners and Buro Happold, focusing on aesthetics that honor Islamic architectural traditions. These stations are equipped with modern amenities, including mosques, VIP lounges, and helipads. The project was a massive international collaboration, involving a consortium of 14 Saudi and Spanish companies, alongside expertise from Chinese, French, and British firms, highlighting the global effort required to modernize regional transit.

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