Running at more than 300 km per hour, the new railway is poised to transform the region’s transportation.

If there is one thing the Middle East does well, it is travel. Residents regularly hop between Gulf countries for work, weekend breaks, shopping trips, or to catch a football match. One of the busiest routes is the corridor between Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and that journey is about to become much faster and far more convenient, thanks to a new high-speed railway train linking Riyadh and Doha.

The Riyadh Doha railway train was officially announced by the Saudi Qatari Coordination Council, where the two countries signed an agreement in the presence of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Qatar’s Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. It marks a significant step in deepening regional connectivity, with a clear focus on efficiency, sustainability and passenger comfort.

As part of the agreement, a 785-kilometre high-speed electric railway will be designed to connect the two capitals. Trains are expected to run at more than 300 km per hour, cutting travel time between Riyadh and Doha to around two hours. Along the way, the route will stop at key Saudi cities, including Dammam and Hofuf. It will also link King Salman International Airport in Riyadh directly with Hamad International Airport in Doha. The network will feature five passenger stations and is expected to handle more than 10 million passengers annually.

Beyond convenience, the new line opens the door to spontaneous travel. A Thursday-morning decision to spend the weekend in Doha could see passengers arrive before lunchtime, without the extra steps that come with air travel. It also fits neatly into the wider regional vision of a more connected Gulf. The unified GCC visa, which will allow Schengen-style travel across member countries, is expected to roll out soon, and the Riyadh Doha railway will complement this by making cross-border movement even easier.

Construction of the Riyadh to Doha railway train is expected to take six years, which means the first high-speed trains could be running in the early 2030s. When that happens, boarding a train in Riyadh and stepping out in Doha two hours later, or vice versa, is likely to feel completely normal.

GO: Visit www.visitsaudi.com for more information.