Turkey extends the "Hejaz" line  to Amman. A new corridor bypasses the bottlenecks of the Gulf

Turkey's Minister of Transport and Infrastructure revealed his country's intention  to revive the historic "Hejaz" railway line and transform it into a modern corridor that serves transportation, trade and tourism together, with a plan to extend it to the Sultanate of Oman, as part of Turkey's efforts to establish a safe and stable regional trade corridor that overcomes the points of tension in the Gulf.

This came during a meeting with the editors of Anadolu Agency in Ankara, where Minister Abdulkadir Oraloglu explained that Turkey is  in direct contact with Saudi Arabia to reactivate the line and link it to Oman, in light of the escalating tensions since the outbreak of the war between the United States and Israel on the one hand and Iran on the other, and the accompanying restrictions on navigation and the high risks in traditional sea lanes.

Oraloğlu pointed out the possibility of restarting the section between Damascus and Amman, stressing that the first phase of the project will connect Turkey to Aleppo, while the Aleppo-Damascus-Jordan line remains in place and operational.

He added that the ultimate goal is to reach the Sultanate of Oman and connect it to the Indian Ocean, providing regional countries with an alternative trade route to the stressful sea lanes, and giving the movement of goods a stable land option.

Turkey seeks to transform itself into a global logistics hub

Ankara's vision for 2026 focuses on building a transcontinental rail link network that will make Turkey the central link between Europe and the Persian Gulf,  and this vision is based on two major projects that form the backbone of its ambition to become a global logistics hub, capable of accommodating the movement of trade, energy, and goods through safe and stable land routes.

Middle East Corridor

Turkey is dealing with the Hejaz Railway Revival Project as a strategic route that redraws the map of land transport in the region, and the features of this project have begun to crystallize through official agreements with Syria and Jordan to develop the railway and logistical link, allowing the establishment of a corridor that extends from southern Turkey to Aleppo, then through Damascus and Amman to Saudi Arabia, with an announced Turkish plan to extend it to the Sultanate of Oman.

Ankara views the corridor as an alternative route that reduces regional trade's dependence on sensitive sea lanes, provides a stable land corridor that can significantly reduce transportation costs, and sees it as a  geopolitical step that enhances the security of supply chains and gives them a pivotal role in the movement of trade between Europe and the Gulf.

The "Development Road" corridor

The Turkish transport minister linked the project to the Iraqi-Turkish "development route", saying that the completion of the two projects would have changed the shape of the ongoing discussions on navigation in the Gulf, indicating that the trans-regional rail link could ease trade's dependence on sensitive sea lanes.

He also stressed that the "Development Road" is ready to be launched with international funding and partnership between the UAE, Qatar, Iraq and Turkey, and that it includes road and railway networks, power lines and communications.

The "Development Road" project represents the second track in Turkey's strategy, as it connects Basra's large port of al-Faw to the Turkish network via a modern railway line, allowing goods to move from the Gulf to Europe through Turkish territory.

This route is expected to shorten traditional shipping times and turn Turkey into a major gateway for East-West trade, taking advantage of its geographical location and ability to integrate land, sea and rail transport networks into a single system.

With these projects, Turkey seeks to build a broad regional connectivity network that will reshape trade in the Middle East and give Ankara a central position in global supply chains, with an ambitious vision to make it an insurmountable logistics player.

Hejaz Railway Project

The Hejaz Railway is one of the most prominent historical projects in the region, as it was established during the reign of Sultan Abdul Hamid II between 1900 and 1908, and extended for about 1322 kilometers between Damascus and Medina, before later reaching about 1900 kilometers with additions.

The line stretched from Damascus through Jordanian territory to Medina, and was planned to reach Mecca, but this part was not completed, and was completed with the participation of Ottoman and German engineers, and included extensive infrastructure that included bridges, tunnels, and stations, in addition to the construction of a telegraph line and guard posts to protect the railway.

The project combines the symbolism of the ancient Ottoman heritage with the demands of the contemporary regional economy, making it one of the most ambitious rail connectivity projects in the Middle East.

The corridor is designed to serve two parallel functions: a fast trade corridor for goods that promotes regional trade, and a tourist and religious route that serves pilgrims and Umrah pilgrims and revives the spiritual value of the historic route.

The route is expected to significantly reduce shipping time and cost between the Gulf and Europe compared to long-haul sea routes, while enhancing regional integration by connecting the infrastructure of participating countries in a sustainable and highly efficient transport system.

In addition, there is another dimension represented in supporting major events in the region, especially the 2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia, by providing a logistics transport network capable of accommodating the movement of goods and visitors.