The Saudi Railway Company (SAR) achieved significant growth in the number of passengers on its passenger trains during the second quarter of this year, with a 139% increase compared to the same period last year.
Ammar Al-Nahdi, SAR’s General Manager of Marketing and Corporate Communications, explained that the increase in the number of passengers on the Northern Line during the second quarter of 2018 exceeded 47,000 passengers, compared to the same period in 2017.
Al-Nahdi attributed this significant growth in passenger numbers to initiatives launched by the company, including the addition of new trips, and extra trips during peak seasons, such as holidays and weekends, as well as additional stations, in addition to the distinctive services provided by the Northern Train on board its various carriages, ranging from business class to economy class, and dining cars, as well as its speed and punctuality, with trains arriving on time at a rate exceeding 96.1%, which is a very high percentage compared to other modes of transportation.
He highlighted the role of public awareness in this growth, noting that the public has begun to recognize the importance of traveling by train, as a safer and more comfortable mode of transport than others, emphasizing that “SAR” is working to realize the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 by establishing an integrated rail transport system that reliably transports passengers, goods, and minerals.
Al-Nahdi highlighted SAR’s role in reducing the costs of transporting passengers, cargo, and minerals, noting that it supports national industries and a contributor to the national economy and sustainable development in various regions, which alleviates the burden on major cities and relocates many sectors to underutilized areas, in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
It is worth noting that the Northern Passenger Train was launched in February 2017 to connect cities in the northern part of the Kingdom with the capital, Riyadh, starting with stations in Al-Majma’ah, Al-Qassim, and Ha’il, SAR is currently working to complete the project by adding stations in Al-Jawf and Al-Qurayyat to create transportation options and facilitate access to Riyadh via several cities.
