The King Fahd Causeway

Perhaps the most spectacular road in the Saudi network is the King Fahd Causeway, which links Saudi Arabia to the island nation of Bahrain.

At 15.5 miles, it is the second longest causeway in the world, an engineering masterpiece that spans long stretches of sea and reclaimed land. Its five bridges rest on 536 concrete pylons, with seven embankments in the Gulf’s shallower water.  One embankment is actually a sizable artificial island complete with customs and immigration facilities, a mosque and a restaurant.

Since its completion in 1986, the causeway has streamlined commerce and strengthened the cultural and social bonds between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. Under consideration is a second causeway that would link Saudi Arabia and Egypt. The 9.24-mile causeway would run across the Red Sea to connect the Saudi coast with Egypt’s Sinai peninsula, linking the eastern and western flanks of the Arab world.

Railroads that facilitate industry
Saudi Arabia’s rail network is managed by the Saudi Railway Organization (SRO). In the 1990s, the SRO carried around half a million passengers and nearly two million tons of goods annually.

In January 2008, the Shura Council approved the creation of a Railway Authority. The new authority will organize railway transport and safety, issue licenses to railway service providers, monitor unfair competition, and investigate railway accidents and losses. The Railway Authority will be an independent body in terms of finance and administration, and its governor will be appointed by royal decree.  The SRO will continue to function until the Authority’s rules and regulations are in place.

The network consists of the 449-mile Dammam-Riyadh line from the Arabian Gulf port to the capital that includes stops in Hofuf and Abqaiq. A second, 556-mile Dammam-Riyadh line travels via Haradh, on the edge of the Empty Quarter.

Saudi Railways Expansion Programme

Approved by the Supreme Economic Council in June 2002, the Saudi Railways Expansion Programme is a landmark project to expand Saudi Arabia's rail network. Once completed, new rail lines will link Kingdom's east and west coasts the as well as the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah.

The Saudi Landbridge Project will connect Jeddah on the Red Sea with Dammam and Jubail on the Arabian Gulf via Riyadh. It involves 950 km of new line between Riyadh and Jeddah and a 115 km new line between Dammam and Jubail. The existing Dammam-Riyadh line will also be upgraded as part of the project. 

Once completed, the Landbridge railway will have the capability to move large quantities of cargo over long distances at competitive rates, providing a considerable savings in shipping time for goods from Europe and North America. It will also offer high-speed passenger transport.

The Makkah-Madinah rail link is a high-speed passenger rail line that will connect the two cities via Jeddah. The 310-mile line will include five stations, two each in Makkah and Jeddah and one in Madinah. The railway is expected to facilitate travel for pilgrims and positively impact the region’s economy.  Funding was approved for the project in February 2008.