King Salman inaugurates Haramain High Speed Rail service
MADINAH: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia marks another historical event with the inauguration of the Haramain High Speed Rail service here on Tuesday.
King of Saudi Arabia, King Salman Abdulaziz officiated the event in a traditional ceremony, which coincides with the 88th National Day celebration of the kingdom on Sept 23.
King Salman, who is the Custodian of Two Holy Mosques, together with Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Prince Mohammad Salman, took the maiden journey of the Haramain high speed rail from Jeddah to Madinah, which took about one and a half hour.
They arrived at the Madinah Station at 4.25pm local time.
The 450km high speed line, linking the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah via Jeddah and King Abdullah Economic City of Rabigh, is expected to carry 60 million passengers a year when it reaches its full capacity.
The train travels at a speed of 300km/ h and reduces the travel time between Makkah and Madinah to just about two hours.
The line has five stations, namely two terminal stations in Makkah and Madinah, and two central stations in Jeddah and Rabigh, and a fifth station at King Abdulaziz International Airport built by the General Authority of Civil Aviation.
The line will start commercial operations on Oct 1 and the fare will be from 75 SAR to 125 SAR. — Bernama