Saudi Arabia and Türkiye have signed new cooperation agreements in the railway sector, marking a major step forward for the Hejaz Railway revival project. The agreements are part of a broader regional plan aimed at improving transport links between the Gulf region and Europe through a modern land corridor.
According to Saudi media, Saudi Transport Minister Saleh Al-Jasser and Turkish Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu signed memorandums of understanding covering railway development and logistics cooperation. The agreements are expected to strengthen coordination between the two countries on major transport projects.
Officials said the initiative forms part of a wider strategy to connect Türkiye, Syria, Jordan, and the Gulf states through an integrated trade route. Recent discussions among transport ministries in the region resulted in a shared roadmap to restore cross-border infrastructure over the next four to five years. Türkiye has already started rehabilitating railway lines near the Syrian border that had remained inactive for around 15 years.
Under the proposed plan, the transport corridor would link Türkiye’s railway network with Southern Europe before extending through the Syrian cities of Aleppo and Damascus, then reaching Amman in Jordan and the Red Sea port of Aqaba. The route is expected to provide a faster, more affordable, and more efficient option for moving passengers and goods between Europe and the Gulf region.
Earlier this month, Abdulkadir Uraloğlu also announced plans to modernize the historic Hejaz Railway and eventually extend it to Oman. The project aims to create an alternative trade route with access to the Indian Ocean and reduce reliance on maritime transport through the Strait of Hormuz. Supporters believe the Hejaz Railway revival project could become one of the region’s most important infrastructure developments, reviving a railway originally built between 1900 and 1908 during the rule of Ottoman Sultan Abdulhamid II.