Saudi Arabia is set to launch its first luxury train service by the end of 2025. The Middle Eastern country only started offering tourist visas in 2019, but has since set the ambitious goal to reach 150 million tourist visits by 2030.
In order to do so, Saudi Arabia is launching a number of visitor-friendly initiatives and investing in its infrastructure.
Among them is the “Dream of the Desert” train service, a £43million project commissioned by the Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) to Italian hospitality company Arsenale Group.
The Dream of the Desert project consists of a 40-cabin train running on 800 miles of existing railway lines at speeds of up to 186mph.
The planned route links Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh to Al Qurayyat, a city located just 19 miles away from the border with Jordan.
The train route will cross stunning desert landscapes and stop also at Al Qassim, Hail and Al Jouf.
Travellers taking part in this exclusive train cruise will be able to choose to book one or two-night trips, and the carriages will accommodate a maximum of 82 passengers.
While the carriages are being built in Italy, Arsenale CEO Paolo Barletta said they will be “fully customised and inspired by Saudi style and tradition”.
Mr Barletta also said: “The initial production phases of the Dream of the Desert carriages in Italy have recently commenced, and we can’t wait for the debut of our first train in the kingdom in the coming years.”
Speaking about the luxury service, SAR chief executive Bashar bin Khalid Al-Malik said the Dream of the Desert will allow Saudis and tourists alike to explore more of the country.
While this service is the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia, more high-speed services are expected to come in the future as the country continues to expand its infrastructure to fulfil its “Vision 2030” project.
This programme, first announced in 2016 by the Saudi government, has the stated aim of reforming the country’s economy, public sector and society in line with the vision of Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman.
Other investments contributing to making Saudi Arabia a destination for tourists were announced last year, and included hotel and resort developments across the kingdom.
