The General Organization of Railways, represented by its Director General Mohammed Al-Suwaiqat, signed today a contract for the implementation of the first phase of the renovation of the 87.4-kilometer-long Freight Line No. 2 between Dammam and Riyadh, at a total cost of approximately 123 million riyals, with one of China’s leading railway companies.

With this step, the Corporation aims to improve the efficiency of the rail lines and enhance the latest safety standards, in light of growing demand for rail transport from the private sector, as well as increasing the axle load capacity to 32.5 metric tons, in accordance with the technical specifications of this project.

On this occasion, Al-Suwaiq emphasized the Corporation’s commitment to increasing the share of freight transported by rail and phasing out truck transport, highlighting the many benefits the project will bring to the national economy, as well as its contribution to reducing road accidents, lowering road maintenance costs, and protecting the environment from pollutants caused by truck transport, as rail is considered the safest mode of land transportation.

He explained that the Corporation is currently working to finalize the tender documents for the second phase of the renovation of the 91-kilometer freight line between Dammam and Riyadh, emphasizing the Corporation’s commitment to meeting the needs of its customers and attracting new partners in the future.

The Director General of the General Organization of Railways described this step as part of the measures the organization has taken to enhance the readiness and efficiency of the rail lines, as well as its fleet of railcars and locomotives and new organizational structures to meet the agreed-upon standards for rail transport within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.