Riyadh (Diplomat.so) - The Saudi Railway Company (SAR) signed a major procurement agreement on Sunday with Talgo, the Spanish high-speed rail manufacturer, to acquire 20 new trainsets for the Haramain High-Speed Railway, marking a significant expansion of transport capacity between Makkah and Madinah. The agreement was concluded in Riyadh under the patronage of Saudi Transport Minister Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser, with Spain's Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility Óscar Puente present.
SAR stated that deliveries of the new trains will begin by late 2028 and finish in 2031, increasing the Haramain fleet from 35 to 55 trains. Officials said the deal directly supports the Kingdom’s National Transport and Logistics Strategy, which prioritizes improved mobility for pilgrims and visitors to the Two Holy Mosques.
"This investment strengthens Saudi Arabia’s position as a global logistics hub and enhances transport services in the holy cities,” Al-Jasser said in an official statement. He noted that the Haramain Railway—launched in 2018 by King Salman—remains "a cornerstone project dedicated to serving pilgrims and visitors with modern, safe, and reliable transport options.”
SAR CEO Dr. Bashar Al-Malik said the expanded fleet will raise the network’s capacity to over 30 million passengers annually and ease congestion during peak Hajj and Umrah seasons. He added that the new trains will improve scheduling flexibility and enable "faster operational response to fluctuating demand.”
Technical details released by SAR confirm that each train will include 13 cars—with both business and economy seating—and a dedicated carriage for passengers with disabilities. All trains are engineered for speeds of up to 300 km/h, preserving the Haramain Railway’s status as the fastest link between the holy cities.
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