Saudi Arabia And Türkiye Sign a Deal to Revive Hejaz Railway Corridor
The agreement includes plans to modernize the historic Hejaz railway and extend it to Oman, creating a new trade corridor aimed at strengthening regional logistics and reducing reliance on vulnerable maritime routes.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Türkiye and Saudi Arabia have reached what Turkish officials described as a historic new phase in transportation and logistics cooperation, signing a series of agreements that include plans to revive the historic Hejaz railway and extend it to Oman as part of a broader strategy to develop a major international trade corridor.
On Tuesday, Turkish Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu announced that he and Saudi Transport Minister Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser had signed several memorandums of understanding covering transportation, railways, and logistics services.
The agreements mark a significant step in deepening economic and logistical cooperation between Ankara and Riyadh at a time when regional countries are seeking alternative trade routes amid growing security concerns in strategic maritime corridors.
Speaking about the agreements, Uraloğlu said the two countries were entering a new stage of cooperation focused on expanding technical collaboration and exchanging expertise across logistics centers and modern transportation systems.
“We are beginning a new phase that will strengthen the exchange of expertise and technical cooperation, from logistics centers to modern transportation programs,” he said.
The Turkish minister described the agreements as part of a broader effort to enhance regional connectivity and improve the efficiency of commercial transportation networks linking the Middle East.
The centerpiece of the cooperation package is Türkiye’s plan to rehabilitate the historic Hejaz railway and extend it southward to Oman.
According to Uraloğlu, the project is intended to create a global trade corridor capable of serving as an alternative route to the Strait of Hormuz, which has faced growing pressure from regional military tensions.
He emphasized that the proposed railway network would strengthen overland trade connections and provide additional options for commercial transportation across the region.
Uraloğlu said Türkiye is closely monitoring transportation corridors passing through Syria, Jordan, and Iraq and highlighted the success of recent transport trials linking Türkiye with Saudi Arabia through Iraq.
“Two successful transportation trials were carried out from Türkiye to Iraq and then to Saudi Arabia, proving that this route is highly suitable and efficient,” he said.
The minister added that transport volumes between the two countries exceeded 20,000 units before 2012 and expressed confidence that cooperation could eventually surpass previous levels despite current regional challenges.
“Our goal is to raise our cooperation to a much higher level than before,” he said.
Growing Saudi economic partnerships
The transportation agreements come as Saudi Arabia continues to expand its regional and international economic partnerships.
Earlier on Tuesday, Saudi Arabia and Russia signed 13 strategic agreements and memorandums of understanding worth 4.8 billion Saudi riyals during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. The agreements focus on food security, trade expansion, biotechnology, and agricultural cooperation as part of broader efforts linked to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 strategy.
Saudi officials said the deals aim to strengthen long-term economic partnerships, expand exports, and attract investment into key sectors including agriculture, food production, and environmental sustainability.
The latest diplomatic and economic initiatives between Ankara and Riyadh come amid increasing concerns over security risks affecting the Strait of Hormuz due to tensions involving the United States and Iran.
As a result, regional countries have accelerated efforts to develop alternative land corridors and railway networks capable of ensuring the uninterrupted flow of trade and commercial goods.
The proposed Hejaz railway project represents one of the most ambitious transportation initiatives currently under discussion, reflecting a broader regional push to diversify trade routes and strengthen economic resilience.