Kuwait-Saudi Arabia rail link to commence in 2026

Work is underway on the initial design of a ground-breaking railway project linking Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, aimed at transporting passengers and goods. The move follows the approval from the Project Management Committee of both countries, which endorsed the financial, economic, technical and social feasibility study for the project.

Work on the implementation of the railway is set to begin in 2026 and is scheduled to take four years. Once operational, it will carry 3,300 passengers daily with six round trips. Covering approximately 500 kilometres in one hour and 40 minutes at high speed, the line will start from the Shaddadiyah area in Kuwait and extend to Riyadh.

The project is part of a series of initiatives aimed at fostering economic integration and strengthening historical ties between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

In preparation, international companies will soon be invited to participate in the project. The studies for the railway were jointly conducted by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Transport & Logistics and Kuwait’s Ministry of Works over six months.

This major development follows a series of approvals and agreements between the two Gulf states, with significant milestones achieved over the past year. In May, the final results of the technical, financial and economic studies were approved, and by April, 80 per cent of the studies had been completed.

Saudi Arabia had previously given the green light for the railway project in a cabinet meeting chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman at Neom in September last year. King Salman also authorised the Minister of Transport and Logistics Services to discuss a draft agreement with Kuwait regarding the rail link. The feasibility study for this high-speed rail connection was conducted by France’s Systra, as reported by MEED.

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