NEOM Unveils $1.5bn High-Speed Railway to Connect The Line and Oxagon

RIYADH: A groundbreaking high-speed railway project is set to link NEOM’s Oxagon with The Line, a futuristic city within the megaproject.

Webuild, in a joint venture with Shibh Al Jazira Contracting Company (SAJCO), has secured a contract worth $1.5 billion for the construction of this transformative railway system.

Spanning an impressive distance of 57 kilometres, the railway aims to seamlessly connect NEOM’s centre for advanced and clean industries to the 170-kilometre-long innovative city, The Line.

NEOM, positioned as one of Saudi Arabia’s most significant giga-projects, serves as a blueprint for sustainable urban living. The Line, a focal point of NEOM’s upcoming development, is envisioned as an urban area devoid of conventional roads and cars, designed to accommodate up to nine million residents within a compact area of 34 square kilometres.

Central to NEOM’s vision is the reliance on 100 per cent clean energy derived from renewable sources such as solar, wind, and green hydrogen.

The high-speed railway project will contribute to achieving this ambitious goal. It involves the construction of civil works for two high-speed railway tracks, two freight railway tracks, as well as viaducts, road bridges, and rail and road underpasses.

Webuild’s presence in the region dates back to 1966 when it first embarked on hydraulic projects in the cities of Mecca, Jeddah, and Riyadh. Over the years, the company has successfully delivered numerous notable projects, including the construction of more than 70 health centres, as well as the Al Faisaliah District Redevelopment Project and the Kingdom Centre in Riyadh.