Home Industry Transport Saudi considers combining state rail firms The plan is being proposed to cut costs and improve rail services by Staff Writer March 16, 2017 Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Transport is reportedly considering plans to combine the Saudi Railways Organisaiton with Saudi Railway Company to cut costs. Saudi Arabic publication Al-Watan cited chairman of the Public Transport Authority Rumaih Al-Rumaih as confirming the plans yesterday. He said the organisation would be gradually combined with the railways company until it is totally liquidated. “The railway bodies in the Kingdom must all be amalgamated into a single entity,” Al-Rumaih was quoted as saying. The official reportedly noted the kingdom’s falling rank in railways services from 37th in 2014 to 52nd this year and put it down to the lack of an integrated rail network. The Saudi Railways Organisation operates a network of 1,380km with two main lines connecting King Abdul Aziz Port in Dammam with Riyadh, and Dammam city with Riyadh and some auxiliary routes to military and agricultural locations. The Saudi Railway Company operates the 2,750km north-south railway line from Riyadh to Al-Haditha. The company’s first passenger service between Riyadh and Al Qassim began operating last month. Read: Saudi begins new rail link between Riyadh and Al Qassim 0 Comments