The ambitious Landbridge project, which will be offered up for sale in 2006, will link the east and west coasts by rail for the first time.

Saudi Arabia’s substantial socio-economic growth in recent years has prompted a parallel expansion in the kingdom’s transportation sector, including road, air, rail and ports. “We currently have more than 33,000 miles of road surface, which will be extended to 41,000 miles over the next ten years,” says Minister of Transport Jobarah Al-Suraisry.

The port network is the largest in the Middle East, spanning two important waterways: the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf.

“We have eight ports in total, five on the west coast and three on the east coast. There are plans to further develop Jeddah and Dammam ports, which will be linked by the Landbridge,” says the minister.

The Landbridge is an ambitious project that will link Saudi Arabia’s east and west coasts by rail for the first time, passing through Riyadh Dry Port.

JOBARAH AL-SURAISRY Minister of Transport	MOHANNAD F. AL-MADHI Secretary of the Steering Committee at the SRO

Masterminded by the Saudi Railways Organization (SRO), the project is making the most of advances in the privatization process, and has been offered up for sale to investors on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis. “We are targeting the middle of 2006 for the award of the concession for the Landbridge,” says President of SRO Khalid H. Alyahya.

Air transport comes under the jurisdiction of the Presidency of Civil Aviation (PCA). Until recently, national airline Saudia was the only carrier, but in order to cope with increasing demand the PCA has granted its first new license to Al Khayala, a luxury airline set up by private aviation company National Air Services (NAS). Eventually, the market will be opened up to international operators.