Turkey and Saudi Arabia sign railway deal to boost regional connectivity

Turkish Transportation Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu stated that the uninterrupted functioning of trade and the logistics chain is critical, especially during sensitive regional times. He added that Ankara aims to activate transport routes through Syria, Jordan, and Iraq, noting that trial runs have demonstrated the feasibility of a route extending to Saudi Arabia via Iraq.

The long-term vision for the railway includes extending it to Oman and the Indian Ocean, creating an alternative trade corridor that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz. This scenario could position Turkey as a transit hub between the Gulf and Europe, a railway logistics base, and a key junction for energy and trade corridors.

In April, Turkey, Syria, and Jordan had already signed a trilateral agreement to strengthen regional connectivity and integrate transportation systems. The historic Hejaz railway was originally conceived by Ottoman Sultan Abdulhamid II in 1900.