Earlier this year, Saudi Arabia began construction on the $7 billion Landbridge railway, a massive project aimed at transforming the country's logistics and transportation infrastructure. This long-awaited project, which will stretch from Jeddah on the Red Sea to Dammam on the Persian Gulf, will connect the country's major industrial centers, ports, and logistics hubs, creating a vital east-west corridor for freight and passengers. With over 1.400 km of new and upgraded track, the Landbridge ranks among the most ambitious infrastructure projects not only in the Middle East but globally.

The Land Bridge has the potential to revolutionize Saudi Arabia's transportation network. At the heart of the project is a new 950 km line connecting the capital, Riyadh, with the country's largest port city, Jeddah. This main line extends a further 146 km north from Jeddah to King Abdullah Port.

The network includes critical components such as a 115 km line from Dammam to the industrial hub of Jubail, improvements to the existing Riyadh-Dammam link, the Riyadh ring road, and a 172 km extension from King Abdullah Port to Yanbu Industrial City. Upon completion, freight transport will be efficiently transported between Jeddah, Dammam, Jubail, Riyadh, King Khalid Airport, King Abdullah Port, and Yanbu. Authorities estimate that this comprehensive network could save the Kingdom $4,2 billion in transportation costs annually and create 200.000 new jobs in related sectors. The project also includes seven new logistics hubs that will enhance the Kingdom's multimodal transportation capacity.

A key early phase of the project is the Riyadh rail link. This 35-kilometer line, running from north to south of the city, is critical to integrating Saudi Arabian Railways' North-South Railway with the Eastern Rail Network. Expressions of interest have been invited from leading contractors for the development of this section. The contract will include viaducts, signaling systems, infrastructure, and civil works, bringing the rail link up to international standards. This integration will ensure the successful integration of the new Landbridge network with existing lines, facilitating freight movement throughout the kingdom.

The Landbridge project is a strong example of international collaboration. The project is being implemented by the Saudi China Landbridge Consortium, a partnership between Saudi Arabian Railways and the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, with local support from Al-Ayuni Contracting. International firms such as Systra, Thales, WSP, ALG Infrastructure, and Calx Consultancy are also involved. In December 2023, Hill International (USA), Italferr (Italy), and Sener (Spain) were appointed to provide project management services. This pool of international expertise aims to ensure the project is completed on time and to global standards.

The $7 billion Land Bridge railway is one of Saudi Arabia's most ambitious steps toward strengthening its economic diversification and logistics hub position in line with its Vision 2030 goals. This massive project will not only modernize freight and passenger transportation but also strengthen its strategic position within regional and global trade corridors, paving the way for the country's future economic growth.