RIYADH — Turkish Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu has announced that the railway link project between Saudi Arabia and Turkey is expected to be completed within the next three years. Speaking to Al-Arabiya.net, the minister also expressed his anticipation that the project could eventually extend across the entire European continent. He noted that the financial details of the Riyadh-Ankara railway link will be clarified in the near future. The minister outlined that the railway will originate in Saudi Arabia, pass through Jordan and Syria, and reach Turkey, while leaving open the possibility of Iraq joining the project. He highlighted that Saudi Arabia has already completed the connection of its railway lines with Jordan, and Turkey has extended its network into Syria. “Only the Syrian and Jordanian sections remain, and this is what we are focusing on today. We are examining the details and exploring what can be achieved within the framework of cooperation to complete the four-way connection, potentially extending all the way to the European continent,” he said adding that the Gulf states would be integrated into the Saudi-Turkish railway network. The remarks followed the signing of two major memoranda of understanding covering railways and logistics services, marking a significant step toward developing a land transport corridor linking the Gulf region with Europe. The pacts were signed by Minister Uraloğlu and Saudi Minister of Transport and Logistics Saleh Al-Jasser in Riyadh on Tuesday. Uraloglu described the agreements as the beginning of a new phase of cooperation aimed at strengthening technical expertise, logistics infrastructure and regional connectivity. He explained that Riyadh and Ankara are exploring alternative land and rail transport options in light of current regional conflicts. Earlier, Minister Al-Jasser said that a study on the railway link through Jordan and Syria would be completed before the end of the year. This initiative seeks to revive a historic railway corridor that experts describe as transforming the region from a simple transit route into a strategic node in intercontinental trade. Amid challenges such as disruptions in maritime shipping, including the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, projects designed to establish alternative land routes to enhance supply chain resilience are gaining renewed attention. The railway project reconnects Turkey and Saudi Arabia via Jordan and Syria, with branch lines extending to Lebanon. The project focuses on linking markets and facilitating trade, leveraging the Saudi railway network’s reach to the Jordanian border via Al-Haditha in the Al-Jouf region. It also integrates the Jordanian railway project connecting the north and south of the country, while developing existing lines in the Aqaba region near NEOM, which plans a logistics corridor connecting Europe, via Turkey, to the Gulf states and Iraq. Meanwhile, Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Alswaha met with Uraloğlu at the ministry’s headquarters in Riyadh on Tuesday. They discussed prospects for partnership between Saudi Arabia and Türkiye in digital infrastructure, technology, artificial intelligence, and smart mobility solutions. They discussed opportunities to expand investment between the two friendly countries and strengthen cooperation in digital infrastructure. They also reviewed linking technological enablers with the transport sector to support the growth of the digital economy and open new horizons for partnership in the smart era.
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