Saudi Landbridge Project

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 This article or section contains information about planned or expected future infrastructure.
It may contain speculative information and may change upon or during construction.

The Saudi Landbridge Project is a planned US$3.5 billion[1] railway project which forms part of the Saudi Railways Expansion Programme.

The freight railway will connect Jeddah on the Red Sea coast with the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh.[2] The existing 450 km line between Riyadh and Dammam will be upgraded.[3], and a second 115 km new line is planned to connect Dammam with Jubail on the Persian Gulf.[2] Completion is planned for 2010.[4]

The newly constructed lines will be single track, but the infrastructure (including bridges and tunnels) will be designed to permit a future upgrade to dual track.[3]

On April 21 2008 the Tarabot consortium of seven Saudi companies and Asciano of Australia was named as preferred bidder for the 50-year build, own, operate and transfer concession for the Landbridge project, with financial close planned within 12 months.[5]

[edit] Western railway

Under a separate project a third new line, the Western Railway high speed line, is planned to connect Mecca and Medina (a distance of approximately 444 km[6]) for an estimated cost of US$5.3 billion.[1] A 50-year build, operate, transfer contract is planned.[6]

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b "BAFOs Submitted for Saudi Landbridge Project", Infranews, 2008-02-28. Retrieved on 2008-02-28. 
  2. ^ a b Saudi Landbridge Project. Retrieved 2008-01-09.
  3. ^ a b "Saudi Landbridge Rail Project", Ashurst, August 2005. Retrieved on 2008-01-09. 
  4. ^ Christian Wolmar. "The groundbreaking Saudi rail-link", August 2005. Retrieved on 2008-01-09. 
  5. ^ "Saudi Landbridge preferred bidder named", Railway Gazette International, 2008-04-21. 
  6. ^ a b "Saudi bidding hots up", Railway Gazette International, 2008-03-10. 
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