Plans for a high-speed rail link between the Gulf's two largest economies took a decisive step forward this week as authorities opened tenders for the project's first phase.
If built, the line would connect major cities across the two nations at speeds exceeding 300km/h, slashing a journey that today takes many hours by road to under three. Officials framed it as a cornerstone of deeper regional integration.
More than a train
Beyond convenience, planners see the corridor as an economic artery — moving not just people but goods, tourism and investment across borders. Stations are envisioned as hubs for new business districts and logistics zones.
"Infrastructure like this rewires how a whole region does business."
The tender covers engineering surveys, route design and the first stretch of track. Construction, if approved, would span several years and rank among the most ambitious rail projects in the world.
A regional vision
The link is part of a broader Gulf ambition to build an interconnected rail network spanning the peninsula — a project decades in the making that is finally gathering momentum.