Saudi Arabia Railways - Saudi Landbridge
Saudi Arabia Railways, formerly the Saudi Railway Company, is undertaking the construction of a large-scale railway infrastructure project known as the Saudi Landbridge connecting Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Jubail in Saudi Arabia. The project will have a total of around 1,500 kilometres of new lines and the upgrading of existing lines. It will connect the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf coasts via a new 950 km line from Jeddah to Riyadh, plus additional lines including a 115 km link between Dammam and Jubail, with upgrades along the RiyadhâDammam line. The railway will support both freight and passenger transport, with passenger speeds up to approximately 220-250 km/h, and freight speeds around 120 km/h, using standard gauge track and modern signalling systems such as ERTMS Level 2 and centralised traffic control. Key facilities will include passenger and freight stations, logistic centres, depots and intermodal terminals. The route is designed to create a rapid sea-to-sea corridor for trade and travel, reducing travel time between Jeddah and Riyadh to around six hours for passengers, and replacing long sea voyages with efficient land transport.
The US$26650 million projects include the following:
1. Upgrading of Jubail Industrial City's internal network by building 10km of track
2. Upgrade of Jubail to Dammam line by building 35km of track
3. Upgrade of Dammam to Riyadh line by building 87km of track
4. Riyadh bypass line, from the existing network in the north of the city to the south
-67km of track works (first package)
-35km track works (second package)
5. Construction of Riyadh to Jeddah line (950km) and then on to King Abdullah Port (146km) with three stations at Jamuma, Moya and Al-Doadmi
6. Construction of a new 172km line from King Abdullah Port to Yanbu Industrial City
7. Construction of logistics centres (7 nos.)
-Jubail Industrial City Logistics Centre
-Dammam Logistics Dry Port
-Relocated Riyadh Dry Port
-King Khalid Airport Logistics Centre in Riyadh
-Jeddah Logistics Dry Port
-King Abdullah Port Logistics Centre
-Yanbu Industrial City Logistics Centre
8. Construction of 28km of tunnels
9. Construction of 100 bridges
10. Construction of passenger and freight stations
11. Construction of the intermodal logistics centres and maintenance depots
12. Installation of signalling, telecommunications, and control systems
13. Earthworks, track laying, bridges, tunnels, embankments and drainage works
14. Construction of associated facilities
Second Section
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15 April 2026
Typsa has been appointed as the lead design consultant on the project. (Source: MEED)
13 February 2026
Riyadh Rail Link: The main contract tender was issued on January 29, 2026, and the bid submission is due on March 29, 2026.
22 January 2026
SAR is intended to implement the project through a new mechanism by 2034, as it failed to reach an agreement with a Chinese consortium for the construction of the project. The project will now be delivered in several phases through a different procurement model. (Source: MEED)
24 November 2025
Riyadh Rail Link: The second stage of the prequalification process is expected to begin soon and consortiums need to propose the self-funded financing arrangements for the project. (Source: MEED)
17 October 2025
Systra, IDOM, and Egis in JV with ARX and others, are understood to have submitted their Best and Final Offers (BAFOs) and Last and Final Offers (LAFOs) for design and design review services for the project.
05 September 2025
Riyadh Rail Link: The prequalification tender for the main contract has been released, and the deadline for submission of prequalification documents is October 12, 2025.
21 August 2025
The bids for the lead design consultancy services contract has been submitted and the lead design consultant is not appointed yet.
04 April 2025
The client has issued a tender for the lead design consultancy services contract on the project with a bid submission deadline of May 15, 2025. (Source: MEED)
10 October 2024
The negotiations are ongoing for the final cost and financing of the the Saudi Land Bridge: Riyadh to Jeddah Railway Line and the project implementation is expected to commence by early 2025.
06 September 2024
The main contract tenders have not yet been issued.
07 May 2024
The main contract tenders have not yet been issued.
08 December 2023
Hill International, Italferr, and Sener have been appointed to provide project management services for the project. (Source: MEED)
22 November 2023
The client is in final stage of negotiations on project cost and financing arrangements and the implementation process is expected to commence from 2024. (Source: MEED)
29 August 2023
Financing arrangements are still ongoing on the project.
26 May 2023
Financing arrangements are still ongoing on the project.
27 January 2023
The client is undertaking the negotiations with Chinese-led consortium to finalize the cost and financing of the project. Earlier the Saudi China Landbridge Consortium (SLCC) comprising 11 companies has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to implement the project on a public-private partnership (PPP) model. (Source: MEED)
22 November 2022
Currently financing arrangement is ongoing on the project.
04 October 2022
Bids for project management services has been submitted and the following companies have submitted the bids: JV of Italferr, Sener and Hill International, JV of Parsons, Egis and Systra. (Source: MEED)
06 September 2022
The project has witnessed increased progress and the implementation is expected in near future.
22 July 2022
The client is currently finalizing implementation plans with appropriate funding arrangement for the project.
21 May 2022
Tender for project management services has been extended. We are trying to get deadline for bid submission.
06 April 2022
Tender for project management services has been issued and the last date for bid submission is on May 12, 2022. Earlier the feasibility study was conducted on the project by Saudi China Landbridge Consortium (SLCC) comprising Al Ayuni Contracting, Systra, Thales, WSP, Aldhabaan & Partners, legal consultancy Eversheds & Sutherland; ALG Infrastructure; and Calx Consultancy. (Source: MEED)
29 March 2022
The owner for this project has been changed now to Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR).
24 March 2022
The client is in talks with the Chinese Ministry of Transport for the implementation of the project and are expecting to sign the contract within a year.
08 December 2021
The client is in talks with the Arab Ministers of Transport for the implementation of the project.
18 October 2021
There is no progress on the development of the project and the client is in talks with the Chinese Ministry of Transport for the implementation of the project.
05 September 2021
The client is in talks with the Chinese Ministry of Transport for the implementation of the project.
01 July 2021
The client is reconsidering the plans for the implementation of the project. (Source: MEED)
02 June 2021
Market sources indicate that there is no further update regarding the main contract tender issue yet.
15 April 2021
The main contract tender is expected to be issued by the end of 2021.
08 January 2021
The main contract tender is expected to be issued soon. (Source: MEED)
24 November 2020
The design works are complete.
09 October 2020
Transport General Authority and Transport Ministry of Saudi Arabia are reviewing the feasibility studies and the decision is expected soon. The engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract is scheduled to be awarded in 2021. (Source: MEED)
28 September 2020
The design works are ongoing and expected to be complete by February 2021.
06 August 2020
The design works are ongoing and expected to be completed by February 2021.
22 June 2020
Eversheds & Sutherland working as the legal advisor. (Source: MEED)
10 June 2020
The design works are ongoing and the execution plan will be submitted in February 2021.
19 March 2020
A JV of China Civil Engineering Construction Company and Al-Ayuni is working as the developer on the project.
17 February 2020
The financial feasibility report is expected to be submitted to the client by August 2020.
28 January 2020
The design works are still underway and it's expected to complete by mid of 2020.
12 July 2019
The design works are still ongoing. (Source: MEED)
13 May 2019
Public Transport Authority is in discussion with China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) for the development of the project.
23 October 2018
Public Transport Authority has signed an MOU with China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) to implement the project.
29 August 2018
SRO is in the process of issuing RFP tenders for the construction contractor.
27 June 2018
Currently preparation of designs, technical and financial studies are ongoing on the project.
11 May 2018
Market sources reveal that the tender for the main contract has not been issued as yet. Sources also reveal that the client is evaluating designs for the two alignments, one of which will be finalized and approved for tender.
13 March 2018
The project management contract is expected to be awarded soon by the Client which was tendered in the year 2017. (Source: MEED)
27 February 2018
Public Transport Authority (PTA) has received the pre-qualification application for the operations and maintenance (O&M) services for the project. However, the request for proposals (RFP) release date is expected to be extended.
23 February 2018
SRO received bids from interested firms.
09 January 2018
The Public Transport Authority (PTA) has issued an EOI (Expression of Interest) and prequalification questionnaire (PQQ) to firms to participate for the operations and maintenance (O&M) services contract. The last day for submission is by Januray 19, 2018. There are tree modules for O&M services naming infrastructure management, passenger operations and freight operations. The request for proposals (RFP) is expected to be released in the first quarter of 2018. (Source: MEED)
09 November 2017
The client is considering of implementing two variations of a public-private partnership (PPP) models which are design, build, finance and maintain (DBFM) or design, build, finance, operate and maintain (DBFOM) which is expected to be tendered once the financial and technical studies are completed. A DBFM model would require an operator to pay the main concessionaire track access charges with minimum traffic guarantees or availability payments. A DBFOM model, on the other hand, can be considered either for the stand alone projects or when bundling two or more schemes together. AT Kearney is carrying out the studies which is expected to complete by the first half of 2018. The contract is expected to be awarded to the successful consortium between 2019 and 2020, which will be followed by mobilization of the project by 2021. (Source: MEED)
23 October 2017
The Public Transport Authority (PTA) has invited firms that expressed an interest in the programme to privatise the railway sector to attend the consultation event on October 29, 2017. The PTA has received interest from consultants, contractors, financial and legal advisory firms and facilities management companies for: · operation of freight and passenger services · management and maintenance of passenger stations · management and maintenance of dry ports · maintenance of rolling stock The solicitation of interest includes the Riyadh to Dammam lines and the North-South Railway. It could also include the operation of future projects such as the Landbridge. US consultancy AT Kearney is advising PTA on the privatisation programme. (Source: MEED)
19 September 2017
The main contract tenders are expected to be issued by the end of 2017 or early 2018, after the client received an encouraging response to an invitation for expressions of interest on the project.
27 July 2017
Arabian Consulting Engineering Centre / Italferr JV has completed the designs on the project with contract valued at US$70 million. The initial design contract, which was awarded in 2013 was extended for another 20 months in August 2015 due to the expansion of the railway line coverage from an initial 960km to 1,300km. The project will now extend from Jeddah seaports to Dammam and Jubail on the Gulf coast. The line will pass through the capital Riyadh and other cities such as Mecca and Taif in the Western Province, as well as linking with other transport networks. The project will be carried out using the public-private partnership (PPP) model. (Source: MEED)
05 July 2017
The designs are still ongoing, however, there is no news regarding the main contract tender issue
05 July 2017
The National Public Transport Authority has invited international railway operators and investors to express interest to operate the project.
01 July 2017
SRO invited EoI for the construction contract.
26 March 2017
The design works are nearing completion and is expected to complete by end of April. (Source: MEED)
07 March 2017
The designs, technical and financial studies are ongoing currently on the project.
01 March 2017
Detailed design work completed on the Jeddah-Riyadh section.
22 November 2016
The project is a BOT contract. The main contract tender on the project is expected to be issued in 2017.
12 October 2016
The design works are on going on the project as per schedule.
01 October 2016
Design activities are underway.
11 July 2016
Initial designs works are complete on the project.
22 June 2016
Saudi Railway Company has signed a contract with Flour for SAR 270m (US$72 million) in 2013 to provide PMC service for 7 years, design inspect, implementation strategy, supervision of initial operation of the project. Designs works are ongoing and it is expected to be completed by end of 2016.
23 February 2016
The project implementation would face delay due to land issues.
02 February 2016
The design works are ongoing on the project.
01 February 2016
MoJ has ordered all courts and notaries not to extract or empty land in the proposed path.
01 December 2015
Ambientesc won a tender related to environmental studies for the second phase.
13 September 2015
Design contract has been extended 20 months with Italferr.
20 August 2015
PIF has signed a US$38 million agreement with Italferr to extend the design contract.
07 June 2015
Pre-qualification process for main contractors is expected to commence by the end of 2015.
19 January 2015
Contractors are expected to be invited to prequalify in the first half of 2015.
21 October 2014
Pre-qualification process for main contractors is expected to commence in the second quarter of 2015.
08 June 2014
RFQ for Procurement of Construction Supervision Consultant Services issued with a submission deadline of July 22, 2014.
17 April 2014
Design works are in progress.
16 December 2013
Design work has not started yet.
14 August 2013
The join venture of Arabian Consulting Engineering Centre and Italferr has been appointed as the design consultant for the project.
13 May 2013
Fluor Corporation has been appointed as the project management Company (PMC) for Saudi Landbridge.
13 May 2013
Concept Design: Parsons Brinckerhoff International / Saud Consult.
01 January 2013
PMC Contract awarded to Fluor Corporation along with Parsons Brinckerhoff.
12 May 2012
Deadline for submission of bids for project management consultancy contract.
01 March 2012
ITB for the design consultancy contract issued.
04 February 2012
Interested companies submitted EOI documents.
01 February 2012
SRO issued EOI for the PMC contractor on the project.
10 October 2011
Government revived the project with an investment up to US$7,000 million.
01 July 2010
The project put on hold.
06 April 2010
SRO become the sole owner of this development.
01 August 2009
SRO decided to re-tender the contract as an EPC contract instead of a BOT contract.
01 January 2009
The bidders submitted their revised bids for the BOT contract.
01 November 2008
SRO invited the bidding consortia to resubmit commercial bids to take into account the fall in construction prices.
01 April 2008
Tarabot consortium named a preferred bidder for a 50-year BOT contract.
01 November 2007
Four prequalified consortia submitted technical proposals.
01 September 2005
Nine international and local consortia submitted applications for pre-qualification.
01 February 2005
US-based Parsons Brinckerhoff and Saudi Consulting Services (SaudConsult) awarded the contract to carry out a route alignment study.
01 July 2004
SNCF International, in partnership with UBS Ltd and the National Commercial Bank of Saudi Arabia, won a contract to provide detailed studies for the project.
01 January 2004
SRO announced plans to develop the Saudi Landbridge project.