Summary
Saudi Arabia and Qatar have agreed to build a high-speed rail line between their capitals, Riyadh and Doha. The railway will connect major airports and is expected to carry 10 million passengers annually, creating 30,000 jobs. This development highlights improved relations between the two countries, which had severed ties in 2017 but restored them in 2021.
Key Facts
- Saudi Arabia and Qatar signed a deal for a high-speed rail link between their capitals.
- The rail network will connect Riyadh’s King Salman International Airport with Doha’s Hamad International Airport.
- The train will travel at speeds over 300 km/h (186 mph), covering the distance in about two hours.
- The project is planned to finish in six years and will serve 10 million passengers yearly.
- The construction will create 30,000 jobs in Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
- Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani signed the agreement.
- The deal marks improved relations after a diplomatic rift between the countries ended in 2021.
- The countries had cut ties in 2017 but have since restored diplomatic and transport relations.
