Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) has begun building its US$7 billion “Landbridge” railway, which will stretch from Jeddah on the Red Sea to Dammam on the Arabian Gulf, linking major industrial hubs, ports, and logistics centres, and creating an east–west corridor for freight and passengers.

The Saudi Landbridge project comprises six lines:

1. The first line involves upgrading the Jubail Industrial City internal network, which is under construction. It will require building 10 km of track.
2. The second line entails upgrading the Jubail to Dammam railway line, which is also under construction. It will require building 35km of track.
3. The third line involves upgrading the Dammam to Riyadh railway line, with 87km of track to be built.

4. The fourth line, known as the Riyadh bypass, runs from the existing network in the north of the city to the south. It is split into two packages: the first has 67km of track, and the second has 35km.

5. The fifth line is a link from Riyadh to Jeddah and then on to King Abdullah Port with three stations at Jamuma, Moya and Al-Doadmi. The Riyadh to Jeddah line will have 920km of track and the Jeddah to King Abdullah Port link will have 146km of track.

6. The sixth line is a new 172km line from King Abdullah Port to Yanbu Industrial City.

There will also be seven logistics centres: Jubail Industrial City Logistics Centre, Damman Logistics Dry Port, a relocated Riyadh Dry Port, King Khalid Airport Logistics Centre in Riyadh, Jeddah Logistics Dry Port, King Abdullah Port Logistics Centre and Yanbu Industrial City Logistics Centre.

Stretching over 1,400 km of newly built and upgraded railway, the project ranks among the largest infrastructure developments in the Middle East. Its central component, the Landbridge, comprises a 950-km line linking Riyadh and Jeddah, with an additional 146-km extension northward to King Abdullah Port. The broader network will feature a 115-km connection between Dammam and Jubail, improvements to the Riyadh–Dammam corridor, a Riyadh bypass, and a 172-km line extending from King Abdullah Port to Yanbu Industrial City. Once operational, the railway will enable seamless freight movement between Jeddah, Dammam, Jubail, Riyadh, King Khalid Airport, King Abdullah Port, and Yanbu, greatly enhancing logistics efficiency. The project will also establish seven new logistics hubs along major routes, strengthening Saudi Arabia’s multimodal transport network and supporting its long-term economic diversification goals. 

An important initial phase of the project is the Riyadh rail link, a 35-km line that will run between the northern and southern areas of the capital. SAR has called on major contractors to submit EOI for the development of this segment, which will link the North–South Railway with the Eastern Railway Network. The scope of work covers the construction of viaducts, installation of signalling systems, utilities, and related civil infrastructure. This segment will connect the new Landbridge network with the existing railway lines, enhancing the efficiency of freight movement throughout Saudi Arabia. It serves as a key component of the US$7 billion Landbridge project, forming part of a 1,500-km network that includes the 900-km Riyadh–Jeddah corridor, a link between King Abdullah Port and Yanbu, and modernization of the Riyadh–Dammam route.

The Saudi China Landbridge Consortium (SLCC), a collaboration between SAR and China Civil Engineering Construction Company, with local backing from Al-Ayuni Contracting, is leading the project. Key international partners include Systra, Thales, WSP, Aldhabaan & Partners/Eversheds Sutherland, ALG Infrastructure, and Calx Consultancy. Additionally, in December 2023, Hill International (USA), Italferr (Italy), and Sener (Spain) were appointed to deliver project management services.