MADINAH: The SR60 billion ($16 billion) high-speed Haramain train is on track to be fully operational this year, according to Minister of Transportation and Chairman of the Saudi Railway Organization Nabil Al-Amoudi.
He said that the service will be functional for the public in 2018, in conformity with all safety measures and operational readiness for high-speed transportation.
Al-Amoudi said the pilot operation has been going to plan since the end of 2017: The project’s supervisors have organized regular trips in which a large number of governmental, non-governmental and charitable bodies have participated.
The latest passengers were Madinah Gov. Prince Faisal bin Salman, Al-Amoudi and the Chairman of the Public Transport Authority (PTA) and acting Head of the Saudi Railways Organization (SRO) Rumaih bin Mohammed Al-Rumaih, onboard for a journey that left Madinah on Friday.
Prince Faisal expressed his appreciation to King Salman for his support of public transport in the Kingdom, and especially for the high-speed train. The project is part of the Kingdom’s role in serving pilgrims to the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the visitors to the Prophet’s Mosque.
Prince Faisal praised the performance of the young men and women providing services in the train stations, effectively participating in the establishment phases and implementation of the service.
Meanwhile, Al-Amoudi said that the support of Prince Faisal had made it easier to face challenges and encouraged the work team to build the Haramain station in Madinah and the related phases within the time frame of the project.
Al-Amoudi stressed the PTA’s drive to take transport in the Kingdom to another level, guaranteeing opportunities for nationalization and thus achieving the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
He said that the Haramain train station was proof of the Kingdom’s competence in achieving such projects.
The Haramain service is one of the biggest public transport projects in the Middle East, a 450 kilometer two-way electric train linking Makkah and Madinah, with extensions to Jeddah and King Abdullah Economic City.
The project will transport 60 million passengers a year on 35 trains, with a seating capacity of 417 per train and traveling at a speed of 300 kph.
The station is about 3 km from the Grand Mosque in Makkah, while the Madinah station is located in the Knowledge Economic City on King Abdul Aziz Road.
Umrah visitors, who are expected to reach about 15 million by 2020, are eagerly waiting for the full operation of the Haramain train, which will cross the distance between the two holy cities in two hours instead of six hours by bus.
The project includes four train stations in Makkah, Jeddah, King Abdullah Economic City and Madinah, in addition to a fifth station at the new King Abdul Aziz Airport.
KSA’s Haramain train speeds toward a 2018 opening
KSA’s Haramain train speeds toward a 2018 opening
Sheikh Saleh bin Humaid to deliver Arafah sermon during Hajj 2025
- The day of Arafah (the 9th of Dhul Hijjah) is widely considered the pinnacle of Hajj, marking the most important day for pilgrims
- The sermon is delivered from Masjid Al-Nimra on Mount Arafat before Dhuhr and Asr prayers are performed together on Dhul Hijjah 9
RIYADH: Sheikh Saleh bin Humaid will deliver the Arafah sermon during this year’s Hajj, the Presidency of Religious Affairs announced on Sunday.
The day of Arafah (the 9th of Dhul Hijjah) is widely considered the pinnacle of Hajj, marking the most important day for pilgrims. Muslims around the world who are not performing the pilgrimage mark the day by fasting and engaging in worship.
The sermon is delivered from Masjid Al-Nimra on Mount Arafat before Dhuhr and Asr prayers are performed together on Dhul Hijjah 9.
Head of Religious Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque Sheikh Abdulrahman Al-Sudais thanked King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the appointment.
The appointment underscores the Kingdom’s global religious leadership, reflects its continued support for religious institutions, and exemplifies the leadership’s care for the two holy mosques, the presidency said.
Pakistani ambassador to Saudi Arabia meets with CEO of Diriyah Gate Development Authority
- The meeting focused on strengthening Saudi-Pakistani ties in the field of heritage and culture
RIYADH: Ahmad Farooq, Pakistan’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, met with Jerry Inzerillo, CEO of Diriyah Gate Development Authority in Riyadh.
The meeting focused on strengthening Saudi-Pakistani ties in the field of heritage and culture, the Pakistani Embassy wrote in a post on X on Sunday.
The ambassador presented Inzerillo with a painting from his own Diriyah-themed series, created to celebrate the Kingdom’s history and heritage.
He also presented him with a made-in-Pakistan FIFA-standard football “symbolizing Pakistan’s craftsmanship and the mutual spirit of friendship.”
Saudi reserve engages pilgrims on biodiversity
- Pilgrims were welcomed at Al-Shuqaiq in the Jouf region, where more than 4,000 gifts reflecting the reserve’s history and conservation efforts were distributed
RIYADH: Hajj pilgrims arriving in the Kingdom by land were introduced to projects and initiatives of the King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority.
The initiative aims to enhance biodiversity, restore vegetation and breed endangered species to create a more sustainable natural environment.
The authority also distributed educational brochures to raise awareness about environmental preservation, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Pilgrims were welcomed at Al-Shuqaiq in the Jouf region, where more than 4,000 gifts reflecting the reserve’s history and conservation efforts were distributed.
Visitors were informed about the reserve’s environmental heritage, biodiversity, and commitment to sustainable ecological stewardship, the SPA added.
The authority works to preserve biodiversity by protecting habitats and creating safe environments for wildlife and plants to thrive.
Its achievements include planting more than 2.4 million trees, scattering four tonnes of native seeds and rehabilitating 250,000 hectares of degraded land.
The reserve hosts more than 290 documented bird species — about 58 percent of those recorded in the Kingdom — and includes five internationally recognized important bird areas.
Covering 130,700 sq. kilometers, the King Salman Reserve is the largest natural terrestrial reserve in the Middle East, spanning four administrative regions: Jouf, Hail, Northern Borders, and Tabuk.
Live show at Expo 2025 celebrates shared Saudi-Japanese maritime experience
- Deep-rooted cultural connection in the spotlight
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has used the stage at Expo 2025 in Osaka to tell a story of Saudi-Japanese relations which spans the oceans.
In a live performance titled “Tales of the Sea,” the Kingdom’s pavilion brought together the seafaring traditions of Saudi Arabia and Japan, spotlighting a deep-rooted cultural connection anchored in pearl diving, patience, and poetry.
Held at the Saudi Courtyard Theater, the show centered on the figure of the nahham, a traditional Gulf singer whose role was to inspire pearl divers with his voice during long months at sea.
Japan’s ama divers, skilled women known for their sea diving expertise, were also featured to showcase their abilities and the risks they took in search of sea treasures.
The performance told the story of a Saudi diver on a six-month journey to find the largest pearl, combining performance with visual storytelling projected across five towering 13-meter walls.
Interactive exhibits showcasing traditional diving tools and cultural artifacts invited visitors to engage more deeply, sparking conversations about resilience, tradition, and the Kingdom and Japan’s shared maritime legacies.
The audience responded with enthusiasm, drawn by the show’s emotional depth and the unexpected parallels between the two cultures.
The show captured the maritime memories of both nations, which were enhanced by Gulf chants blended with traditional Japanese music to help create an experience that reflected the partnership.
The Kingdom’s pavilion — the second largest at the expo after Japan’s — will host more than 700 events during the six-month fair, including concerts, films, and storytelling performances.
“Tales of the Sea” stood out as a clear example of how cultural exchange can be both meaningful and memorable.
Supreme Court calls on Muslims in Saudi Arabia to sight Dhul Hijjah crescent moon on Tuesday evening
Supreme Court calls on Muslims in Saudi Arabia to sight Dhul Hijjah crescent moon on Tuesday evening
- Court requested that anyone sighting the crescent moon with the naked eye or through binoculars report to the nearest court and record their testimony
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court called on Muslims in the Kingdom to sight the crescent moon of Dhul Hijjah on Tuesday evening, Saudi Press Agency reported.
Tuesday is the 29th of Dhul Qadah and if the crescent moon is sighted that day, the month of Dhul Hijjah, during which Hajj takes place, will start on Wednesday May 28. In this case, the first day of Eid Al-Adha will take place on Friday June 6.
If the crescent moon is not sighted on Tuesday evening, Dhul Hijjah will start on Thursday and the first day of Eid will be on Saturday June 7.
The court requested that anyone sighting the crescent moon with the naked eye or through binoculars report to the nearest court and record their testimony, or contact the nearest center to assist them in reaching the nearest court.
