Saudi Arabia is taking rail travel to the next level with the launch of Land Bridge, a massive high-speed rail project that will connect the Red Sea to the Arabian Gulf. Spanning about 1,500 kilometres, it will link Jeddah on the west coast to Dammam on the east, passing through Riyadh in between.
Once complete, Land Bridge will turn long road trips into quick, comfortable journeys. Imagine that the travel time between Jeddah and Riyadh will take less than four hours by train (instead of 12 hours by car).
Often called a “desert miracle,” Land Bridge is one of the most ambitious transport projects in the region. It’s also designed to transform trade, making it easier and faster to move goods across the Kingdom and beyond. The project will expand Saudi Arabia’s rail network to over 8,000 km, positioning the country as a central logistics hub for the Gulf and the Arab world.
Rail travel is getting popular in Saudi Arabia. More than 2.6 million passengers took trains across the Kingdom in the second quarter of 2025 alone. With the launch of Land Bridge, Saudi Arabia is clearly on track to become the beating heart of transport in the Middle East.
Alongside Land Bridge, Saudi Arabia is also gearing up to launch Dream of the Desert, a 1,300-kilometre luxury train journey from Riyadh to Qurayyat, offering travellers breathtaking views of the country’s natural landscapes. If these new mega projects have caught your attention, you may also want to check out AlUla tramway, new public transport project that will connect five of most important heritage sites.
Stay tuned for more updates on how Saudi Arabia is reimagining travel and connectivity across the region!
