Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) is the national railway company of Saudi Arabia. It is a state-owned enterprise, owned by the PIF.
History Saudi Arabia Railways, formerly known as the Saudi Railway Company, was established in 2006 to build, operate, and manage the North–South railway.
In February 2021, approval was granted to merge the Saudi Railways Organization and the Saudi Railway Company. The merger was completed on 1 April 2021, forming the unified national railway operator now known as Saudi Arabia Railways.
Railways
Passenger Network West Train (Haramain High Speed Railway) Medina – King Abdullah Economic City – Jeddah – Mecca
North Train (Riyadh–Qurayyat railway) Riyadh – Majmaah – Hail – Al-Qassim – Al-Jouf – Qurayyat
A separate luxury service, the Dream of the Desert Train, also operates along this route.
East Train (Dammam–Riyadh railway) Dammam – Hofuf – Abqaiq – Riyadh
Freight Network North–South railway Primarily used for transporting minerals, phosphate, and industrial goods. Shares infrastructure with the Riyadh–Qurayyat railway.
Dammam–Riyadh railway Used for bulk freight and container traffic between the eastern port of Dammam and Riyadh. branches with the Dammam–Riyadh passenger railway
Saudi Landbridge Project Currently under development; planned to link the Red Sea port of Jeddah with the Eastern Province to enable faster freight movement across the country.
Rolling stock Electric and diesel trainsets ClassImageTop speedNumberRemarksBuiltmphkm/h Talgo 350 220 350 36 trainsets: 72 power cars 72 semi-articulated trailer cars 396 articulated trailer cars Electric trainsets with 2 locomotive-like power cars, two semi-articulated end trailer cars and 11 articulated trailer passenger cars (Mc-T=11Ta=T-Mc). Including 35 regular passenger trains and 1 VIP train for royal family and officials. Operating on the Haramain High Speed Railway with 25 kV AC railway electrification.2014-2018 SAR-200 CAF push–pull train 124 200 6 trainsets: 12 power cars, 62 trailer cars Diesel-electric trainsets with 2 locomotive-like power cars and 9 or 13 trailer cars (four standard day trains with Mc-9T-Mc formation and two sleeper night trains with Mc-13T-Mc formation). Operating on the Riyadh-Qurayyat Line. 2013 SRO-180 CAF push–pull train 112 180 8 trainsets: 10 power cars (5001-5010) 32 trailer intermediate cars 8 trailer control cars Diesel-electric trainsets with 1 locomotive-like power car, 4 intermediate trailer cars and 1 control car (Mc-4T-Tc formation). Two additional power cars built as reserves. Operating on the Dammam–Riyadh line. 2011
Diesel locomotives ClassImageTop speedNumberRemarksBuiltmphkm/hEMD SD70ACS61Heavy haul AC diesel-electric locomotives for a mineral railway.HaRakevet: Rothschild PhD, Rabbi Walter (2010), New mineral railway Issue 90.2010–2016ALCO RS-165105 6Series 1000–1005 Diesel-electric locomotives. Originally Arabian American Oil Company A11x50-A11x51, 1002–1005. 1947–1951EMD SW1001 5Series 1022–1026 Order 818000 1/5 Diesel-electric locomotives. 1981 50 80 7 Secondhand Diesel-electric locomotives taken over from NS by Volker Stevin in 1976 for construction works for a seaport in Jubail. Former 2427, 2445, 2485, 2497, 2499, 2519, 2523. Renumbered into 101-107. Sold to Archirodon for rail reconstruction between Damman and Riyadh and renumbered to 276-04–276-09. Some scrapped in 1983. Others active until 1994 and stored in Hofuf afterwards.Dierdorp, Sicco & Davy Beumer (2011), D.E.-Locomotieven serie 2200/2300 en 2400/2500. Alkmaar: De Alk. 1954–1956EMD G18 16Series 1006–1021 Orders 710971–710975, 713081–713082, 713233–713235, and 748005 1/6 Diesel-electric locomotives. 1968–1976EMD GP18M 1Series 1200 Order 700178; Diesel-electric locomotives. rated at 1500 horsepower. 1961EMD FP7A 2Series 1500–1501 Order 7019; Diesel-electric locomotives taken over from Arabian American Oil Company (their 1006–1007).1953EMD FP9A 7Series 1502–1508 Orders 701553, 701493–701494, 702272–702275; Diesel-electric locomotives.1956–1959EMD GP38-2 1 Series 2000. Order 712783; Diesel-electric locomotives. 1973EMD GPL38S 7 Series 2001–2007. Order 201288865; Diesel-electric locomotives. 2015EMD GT22CW 3 Series 2001–2003. Order 748004; Diesel-electric locomotives. 1976EMD SDL38-2 6 Series 2004–2009. Order 778050; Diesel-electric locomotives. 1978EMD SDL38 6 Series 2030–2035. Order 20148061; Diesel-electric locomotives. 2016EMD SDL50 31Series 3500–3530; Diesel-electric locomotives. 1981–2005EMD GT46ACS 17 Series 4300–4316. Orders 20118517 and 20148134; Diesel-electric locomotives 2013–2015Class 319.2 75 120 >4 Diesel-electric locomotives bought second hand..CRRC Qishuyan SDD17621008Diesel-electric locomotives. Ordered in December 2014 for the Dammam–Riyadh line, first 2 locomotives delivered in July 2015.2015–201?
See also Transport in Saudi Arabia Rail transport in Saudi Arabia Ministry of Transport and Logistic Services
References
External links SAR| Home - Saudi Arabia Railways official website