Saudi Arabia’s Haramain railway increases speed to 300kph

Saudi passengers walk on the platform at Makkah’s train station. (File/AFP)

• The project’s management said trips between King Abdullah Economic City station and Madinah would reach the top speed
• The railway is the first high-speed electric train in the region and spans over 450km

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s Haramain High-Speed Railway started increasing the speed of trains to 300 kilometers per hour (kph) for round trips to Madinah on Wednesday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The project’s management said trips between King Abdullah Economic City station and Madinah would reach the top speed, making the travel time between King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and Madinah around two hours, and between Makkah and Madinah approximately two hours and 45 minutes.
The railway is one of the most modern and fastest means of transport in the Middle East.
All stations include facilities such as lounges for business class travelers, a center for public transport, helicopter landing sites, parking lots, Civil Defense stations, mosques and commercial spaces to meet travelers’ requirements.
It is the first high-speed electric train in the region and spans over 450km, connecting five stations across Makkah, Jeddah, King Abdulaziz International Airport, King Abdullah Economic City and Madinah.
The railway was inaugurated by King Salman in Sep. 2018, and is in line with the objectives of reform plans to increase the number of pilgrims and visitors to the Kingdom’s holy places.
Officials describe it as the biggest transportation project of its kind in the region.