Turkey and Saudi Arabia have signed a framework agreement to strengthen cooperation on rail links and logistics, reviving plans for a railway corridor that would connect Saudi Arabia with Turkey through Jordan and Syria. Officials say the route could transport goods, energy supplies, passengers and Hajj pilgrims, while creating a new overland trade link between the Gulf and Europe.
Under the proposal announced on 9 June, the railway would integrate existing and planned national rail networks rather than recreate the historic Hejaz Railway. Turkish officials said the project could be completed within three to four years and may later be extended to other Gulf countries and possibly Yemen.
The initiative comes as regional governments seek alternative transport routes amid concerns over disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. Saudi media have highlighted the project’s potential role in strengthening trade resilience, while Turkish commentators have emphasized its historical, economic and religious significance.
Several factors have improved the prospects for the project. The return of Syria to regional diplomacy following the fall of Bashar al-Assad has reopened discussions on cross-border infrastructure. Damascus has also promoted itself as a future hub for energy and trade routes connecting the Gulf, Turkey and the Mediterranean. At the same time, relations between Turkey and Saudi Arabia have improved after years of political tensions.
Previous attempts to revive the route failed. A similar proposal backed by Ankara and Riyadh in 2009 stalled after the outbreak of the Syrian civil war, while an earlier effort in the 1960s was abandoned following the Six Day War. Despite these setbacks, neighboring countries have continued investing in rail infrastructure, including Saudi Arabia’s northern rail link to the Jordanian border and high-speed line between Mecca and Medina, as well as Turkey’s restoration of rail connections near Syria.
Significant challenges remain. Large sections of Syria’s railway network were damaged during years of conflict, and around 400 kilometers of track are still missing in Syria and Jordan. Turkey plans to invest about $100 million in extending rail connections toward Aleppo, while estimates suggest that rebuilding and upgrading the wider network could cost more than $10 billion to $15 billion. Security concerns also persist in parts of Syria, particularly in areas where armed groups remain active.
If governments can secure funding, reconstruction and stability along the route, the project could become a major transport corridor linking the Gulf with Turkey and Europe. However, its success will depend on overcoming substantial infrastructure and security obstacles that have derailed similar plans in the past.
