- Railway agreement signed by MBS and the Emir of Qatar.
- High-speed rail project to be completed in six years.
- Trains are expected to serve around 10 million passengers annually.
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and Qatar signed an agreement on Monday to build a high-speed railway linking the Gulf countries’ capitals, marking the latest sign of improved ties between the two nations that were once deeply at odds.
According to a statement in the official Saudi press, “high-speed electric passenger railway” would connect Riyadh and Doha.
The Saudi cities of Al-Hofuf and Dammam are also expected to be on the network.
The train would reach speeds of over 300 kilometers per hour (186 mph) and the trip would take about two hours between the two capitals.
A direct flight between the cities takes approximately 90 minutes.
The project, to be completed in six years, expects to serve 10 million passengers a year, the statement said.
The agreement was signed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani during the latter’s visit to Riyadh.
The agreement is just the latest in a series of initiatives that mark the dramatic improvement in ties between the Gulf countries in recent years.
Saudi Arabia and its allies, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt, had severed all diplomatic and transport links with Qatar in June 2017.
Relations were fully restored in January 2021 after a summit in the Saudi desert city of AlUla.
Prince Mohammed visited Doha in December 2021 for the first time since the thaw in ties, as part of a regional Gulf tour.
Since then, leaders from the two monarchies have met regularly and joined forces to support diplomatic initiatives, including calls for a cease-fire in Gaza.
Riyadh also threw its support behind Qatar after Israeli attacks on Doha over the summer.
