Saudi Arabia’s Royal Commission for Riyadh City, in partnership with the National Centre for Privatisation and Public-Private Partnerships and the Qiddiya Investment Company, has officially launched the public-private partnership (PPP) development phase for the Qiddiya High-Speed Rail project. Designed to connect key economic and leisure hubs across the capital including King Salman International Airport, the King Abdullah Financial District, and Qiddiya City, the line will operate high-speed trains reaching speeds of up to 250 km/h, dramatically slashing end-to-end travel times between these major destinations to under 30 minutes.
Estimated as a multibillion-dollar project, the high-speed transit system will integrate seamlessly with the wider Riyadh Metro network, directly supporting Saudi Vision 2030 by offering sustainable mass transport to millions of anticipated visitors traveling to Qiddiya’s major entertainment developments, such as Six Flags Qiddiya City and Aquarabia.
Furthermore, this project showcases the rapidly growing railway infrastructure in the Middle East, with countries such as UAE also developing railway networks.
January 16, 2026
The Qiddiya High-Speed Rail Project, also known as the Q Express, is a rail infrastructure development being planned in Saudi Arabia. The project is intended to connect Riyadh with Qiddiya City. The line is planned to have a total length of approximately 115 kilometers and is being developed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, with an estimated investment of about US$5 billion.
The project is planned to form part of Riyadh’s wider transport network, providing connectivity between King Salman International Airport, the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD), and Qiddiya City. Trains are expected to operate at speeds of up to 250 km/h, with a planned travel time of less than 30 minutes between key locations. The rail line is intended to support access to Qiddiya City ahead of the planned opening of major facilities around 2027–2028.
Other Projects
Similarly, as Saudi Arabia seeks to improve on its railway infrastructure, the country has also revealed plans for the development of a high-speed rail line linking Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) to Doha (Qatar). The Riyadh-Doha high-speed rail will cut travel time between the two capitals to two hours and enhance logistical integration across the region.
Other than the Qiddiya high-speed rail line, Saudi Arabia is also reviving the Jeddah metro project to facilitate transportation.
Saudi Arabia has restarted plans for the project as it issued a preliminary design consultancy tender. The tender issued is for the project’s Blue Line which was issued early January. Interested firms have been given until March to submit their proposals on the project. The Blue Line is expected to run from King Abdulaziz International Airport. It will connect to the Haramain high-speed railway station.
Furthermore, the line will be 35 kilometers long and will include 15 stations. Jeddah Development Authority is the project client responsible for the project. Plans for the Jeddah Metro were first publicly announced in the early 2010s.
Reported on September 22, 2025
The Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC) in collaboration with Qiddiya Investment Company and the National Centre for Privatisation and PPP, has invited firms to bid for the Qiddiya High-Speed Rail project. This high-speed rail project is billed as a cornerstone of the capital’s future transport system.
Also, in a statement made in its X account, the authority made an announcement of the launch of the expression of interest phase for the high speed rail project. Furthermore, this project is designed to operate the high speed trains at speeds of up to 250 kilometres per hour.
Project Factsheet
Objective: To provide a fast and efficient transport link between key destinations in Riyadh. This will enhance urban mobility and facilitating access to Qiddiya City. It is a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project.
Speed: The trains are designed to operate at speeds of up to 250 km/h.
Travel time: The high-speed rail will connect its main destinations in less than 30 minutes.
Route and stations:
Route: The rail line will connect three major landmarks:
- King Salman International Airport (KSIA)
- King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD)
- Qiddiya City
Integration: The high-speed rail will integrate with the existing Riyadh Public Transport (RPT) network.
Timeline:
- Expression of Interest (EOI): The Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC), in partnership with the National Centre for Privatisation & PPP (NCP) and Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC), launched the EOI phase for the project on September 22, 2025.
- Application deadline: Specialized companies and investors were invited to submit their applications by October 12, 2025.
- Overall project: The Qiddiya giga-project itself, which this rail line is part of, is being developed in phases. Also, while some facilities were expected to open in 2023, the full completion and expansion are planned for 2026 and beyond.
Additionally, the high-speed rail line will link King Salman International Airport, King Abdullah Financial District and the planned Qiddiya City. This will cut travel time between them to about 30 minutes.
Significance of the Qiddiya High-speed Rail Project
Additionally, officials said the project is intended to serve as a backbone of Riyadh’s multimodal system, integrating with the newly launched Riyadh Public Transport network.
Also, the rail initiative is part of a broader strategy to leverage public-private partnerships to expand sustainable mobility, improve residents’ quality of life and support Riyadh’s rapid urban expansion in line with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 development agenda.
Lastly, specialised companies and investors have until October 12, 2025, to submit expressions of interest to [email protected]. This is according to RCRC’s announcement.
Saudi Arabia is emerging as a railway infrastructure hub globally. The country also boasts the development of the world’s first driverless train network, the Riyadh Metro.
Project Team
Key Project Authority & Advisory Team
- Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC): Project owner and government lead.
- Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC): Partner developer for Qiddiya City destinations.
- National Centre for Privatisation & PPP (NCP): Lead public-private partnership procurement authority.
- Egis (France): Appointed Technical Adviser.
- Ernst & Young / EY (UK): Appointed Transaction Adviser.
- Ashurst (UK): Legal Adviser.
Major Prequalified and Interested Consortium Participants
1. Main Civil & Contracting Companies
- Local / Saudi Arabia: El-Seif Engineering Contracting, Nesma & Partners, AlBawani, Almabani, Al-Ayuni Investment & Contracting, Al-Rashid Trading & Contracting.
- International: Webuild (Italy), Bouygues Travaux Publics (France), FCC Construcción (Spain), Larsen & Toubro (India), Hyundai E&C (South Korea), Samsung C&T (South Korea), Mota-Engil (Portugal), China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC).
2. Engineering and Design Consultants
AECOM (US), AtkinsRéalis (Canada), SYSTRA (France), Sener (Spain), IDOM (Spain), TYPSA (Spain), Surbana Jurong (Singapore), Hill International (US), Gensler (US).
3. Rolling Stock and Systems Suppliers
Siemens Mobility (Germany), Alstom (France), Hitachi Rail (Japan), Hyundai Rotem (South Korea), CRRC (China), CAF (Spain), Talgo (Spain), Stadler Rail (Switzerland).
4. Rail Operators
DB International Operations (Germany), Keolis (France), RATP Dev (France), Serco (UK), Transdev (France), Renfe Operadora (Spain), MTR Corporation (Hong Kong), Alsaif Transportation (Saudi Arabia).
Leave a Reply