Through Syria. Saudi move to revive historic railway line to Turkey
Saudi Transport Minister Saleh Al-Jasser revealed serious moves to complete the technical studies of the rail link project between Saudi Arabia and Turkey before the end of 2026.
The project aims to revive the historic route that began operating in 1908, linking Medina to Damascus and Istanbul, before it was halted due to the repertoire of World War I.
The Minister of Transport expected the completion of studies related to the rail link project with Turkey, passing through Jordan and Syria, before the end of 2026.
Al-Jasser stressed that this project represents a key pillar to enhance regional integration, and supports intra-regional trade through a sustainable land transport system that connects the countries of the region to each other and European markets.
Modern Outlet. Strategic Fulcrum
The minister explained that the Kingdom has come a long way in its railway infrastructure, as the national railway network currently extends to reach the Jordanian border through the Haditha port.
This is the "cornerstone" of future expansion, as it gives the Kingdom the technical and logistical capability to move towards international connectivity, facilitating the movement of goods from Gulf and Red Sea ports directly to the north.
Logistics Pathways Initiative to Face Crises
The rail moves come in parallel with the launch of the Jeddah Islamic Port's Logistics Routes Initiative, which aims to ensure the continued flow of trade amid the current geopolitical shifts in the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf.
Al-Jasser stressed that the Kingdom has activated alternative land and sea corridors, taking advantage of the large capacity of its ports, which exceeds 17 million containers annually, to ensure the flow of supply chains and not being affected by regional disturbances.
Connecting ports with cross-border routes
The minister pointed to the integration of work to connect Red Sea ports with logistics routes that extend to the Gulf countries, which enhances Saudi Arabia's ability to be a regional hub for rerouting shipments.
He also pointed out that the readiness is not limited to ports and railways, but includes Saudi airports that open their doors to support the movement of transport and trade to brotherly countries, which reflects the Kingdom's leading role in managing crises and ensuring economic stability in the region.
A Future Vision for Sustainable Transport
The project to connect Turkey through Jordan and Syria is a qualitative shift in the concept of land transport, as it seeks to reduce reliance on traditional routes and provide faster and less expensive alternatives to the transport of goods.
This connection is expected to open new trade horizons, linking Saudi ports and Gulf corridors to the Turkish depth to the heart of Europe, embodying the Kingdom's Vision 2030 ambitions in the logistics sector.
An alternative land corridor to counter navigation disruptions
This Saudi trend comes in light of the growing challenges facing maritime traffic, especially the crises of the sea straits and the disruption of global supply chains, as the project, which passes through Jordan and Syria, represents a safe and sustainable land corridor that enhances the resilience of trade between Asia and Europe, and reduces total dependence on maritime routes threatened by geopolitical tensions.
Infrastructure Integration
The initiative benefits from the tremendous development of Saudi infrastructure, as the current railway network already reaches the Jordanian border through the "Haditha" port in the Al-Jawf region, andthis coincides with the Jordanian railway project to develop the lines of the Aqaba region near the international city of "NEOM", making the area a strategic logistical corridor connecting the Gulf countries and Iraq to Turkey and from there to the European continent.
Unified Gulf Connectivity: Grand Network
The project is doubly important when it is linked to the unified Gulf rail network.
This integration will theoretically open the way for a connected rail line starting from Istanbul, passing through Damascus and Amman, all the way to the cities of Saudi Arabia, and then extending to all the capitals of the Arab Gulf countries, creating one of the longest and most important integrated land corridors in the world.
Saudi Arabia.. Global Logistics Hub
Saudi Arabia has superior logistical capabilities that support the success of this project, including ports on the Red Sea that accommodate more than 17 million containers annually, and a network of advanced land ports, which enhance the Kingdom's role as a key link in international transport and support the feasibility of investing in cross-border railways.
Future Aspirations
It is expected that in the coming days and until the end of this year, precise details related to the timetable, implementation mechanisms and coordination between the four countries concerned (Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Jordan, and Syria) will be revealed.
If implemented, this project represents a triumph of economic realism that seeks to transcend geographical and political boundaries in favor of regional trade prosperity.
Turkey rehabilitates railway lines along the Syrian border
The Turkish Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure recently announced the completion of renovation works on a number of railway lines adjacent to the Syrian border as an important step in strengthening the logistics infrastructure between the two countries.
Turkish Transport Minister Abdulkadir Oraloğlu said in statements carried by Turkish media that the return of the border lines to service was done after providing them with a more robust and robust infrastructure as part of an integrated project aimed at ensuring its long-term operational readiness.
The renovation operations included the 325-kilometer Karkamesh-Nusaybin lines, and the 25-kilometer Mardin-Şenyurt line, with the reopening of the track to train traffic, he said, noting that the works carried out went beyond the usual maintenance work to include a comprehensive modernization process to address needs accumulated over the years.
Railway cooperation between Syria and Turkey is witnessing a gradual return after years of interruption, driven by common economic and logistical needs and within a broader regional framework that includes Jordan and Iraq, where specialized reports predict that the Middle East will witness one of the most important rail connectivity projects over the next decade.
The minister spoke about the great efforts made in view of the great difficulties due to the suspension of maintenance work since 2024 along the 350-kilometer line, expressing his hope that "its restart will raise the capacity of the transport of goods and support regional integration", referring to the tripartite memorandum of understanding with Syria and Jordan signed on April 7 on mechanisms for the development of the transport and logistics sectors between the three countries.
Syrian, Turkish-Jordanian cooperation in rail transport
The MoU, which was signed during the meeting of the Joint Ministerial Committee in Amman, Jordan, recently included the establishment of an institutional and technical framework for cooperation in the fields of land, sea and rail transport, the formation of joint committees and working teams, and the development of unified sectoral plans to ensure coordination of efforts and unify procedures.
The MoU also called for cooperation to enhance regional rail connectivity through a tripartite technical committee, develop land, sea and rail transport, improve infrastructure, facilitate the movement of freight and passengers, and simplify border procedures, thus contributing to raising the efficiency of supply chains, enhancing trade exchange, and supporting transit between the three countries.