JEDDAH: The Haramain Express Train has run a successful trip from King Abdullah City in Rabigh to Madinah at speeds of up to 300 kilometers per hour (kph).
The project — which will connect Makkah and Madinah via Jeddah’s airport and King Abdullah Economic City in Rabigh — will be completed by the end of 2017, said the chairman of the Public Transport Authority, Rumaih bin Mohammed Al-Rumaih, who is also acting head of the Saudi Railways Organization (SRO).
Al-Rumaih noted the support of the General Investment Fund (GIF), which financed and facilitated the implementation of the project.
He thanked Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal and Madinah Gov. Prince Faisal bin Salman for their support during the different stages of the project.
The electric railway will be 450 km long. Trains will run between Makkah and Madinah in two hours, and are projected to serve 60 million passengers annually.
High-speed Haramain train tested successfully at 300 kph
High-speed Haramain train tested successfully at 300 kph
Saudi foreign ministry welcomes second phase of Gaza peace plan, formation of transitional committee
Saudi foreign ministry welcomes second phase of Gaza peace plan, formation of transitional committee
- Ministry also thanked US President Donald Trump for his leadership and efforts to end the war in Gaza
RIYADH: The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday welcomed the announcement of the second phase of a comprehensive peace plan for Gaza, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The ministry said it also welcomed the formation of the Palestinian National Committee for the Administration of the Gaza Strip as a temporary transitional body, established under UN Security Council Resolution 2803, which met in Cairo on Friday.
In a statement, the ministry also thanked US President Donald Trump, who declared the formation of the Gaza “board of peace,” for his leadership and efforts to end the war in Gaza.
It highlighted his commitment to the withdrawal of Israeli forces, the prevention of any annexation of parts of the West Bank, and efforts to advance sustainable peace in the region.
The ministry commended the role of mediators Qatar, Egypt and Turkiye, stressing the importance of international and regional cooperation in supporting the peace process.
It underlined the need to support the work of the temporary Palestinian National Committee in managing the daily affairs of Gaza’s residents, while preserving the institutional and geographical link between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, ensuring Gaza’s unity and rejecting any attempts to divide it.
The statement also called for consolidating the ceasefire, halting violations, ensuring the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid, and accelerating early recovery and reconstruction efforts across Gaza.
It said these steps were essential to enabling the Palestinian National Authority to resume its responsibilities in the Gaza Strip, leading to an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory in Gaza and the West Bank and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in line with UN resolutions, the Arab Peace Initiative and the two-state solution.
