Saudi rail link to Türkiye via Jordan, Syria studies to finish soon

Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Transport and Logistic Services, Saleh al-Jasser, announced on Wednesday that feasibility studies for a railway line linking the Kingdom to Türkiye through Jordan and Syria are expected to be finalized before the end of the year. Speaking to Saudi television Al Arabiya, al-Jasser said the project would “enhance regional integration, support trade, and develop a sustainable land transport system between countries of the region.” The Kingdom’s existing national railway network “currently extends to the Jordanian border via the al-Haditha crossing, making it a strategic focal point for future expansion into regional and international connectivity,” he added.

Port capacity and regional trade

The minister emphasized that Saudi Arabia’s ports and corridors are working in an integrated manner to ensure the continuation of regional trade and facilitate the movement of goods between countries. He noted that Saudi Arabia could receive over 17 million containers annually, highlighting the importance of Saudi ports in receiving containers transferred from Gulf states. The rail link would complement existing maritime and road networks, creating a multi-modal corridor.

Historical Hejaz Railway revival

On April 3, Turkish Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said Ankara plans to extend railway lines to the Syrian city of Aleppo as part of efforts to revive the historic Hejaz Railway. Built between 1900 and 1908, the Hejaz Railway originally stretched approximately 1,322 kilometers between Damascus and Medina. It was later expanded to nearly 1,900 kilometers with additional lines. For Türkiye, reviving this historic route and linking it to Saudi Arabia’s modern network would strengthen economic ties with the Arab world and provide an overland alternative to maritime routes that may be disrupted during conflicts—such as the ongoing Iran war and Red Sea tensions.