Riyadh: In a groundbreaking move, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has signed an agreement to launch the luxurious ‘Dream of the Desert’ train service for the first time in the Kingdom and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
To introduce this innovative service, Saudi Railways (SAR) and the Italian Arsenale Group on Thursday, January 25, entered into a 200 million Saudi Riyals (Rs 4,43,22,32,742) agreement with the Italian Arsenale Group in Riyadh.
The train will consist of 40 luxury cabins, and the route of the first trips will start from the Al-Shamal train station in Riyadh, passing through Hail and ending at the passenger train station in Qurayyat.
Reservations for the ‘Dream of the Desert’ train are scheduled to begin at the end of this year, and actual operation will begin in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Here’s a look
Engineer Saleh Al-Jasser, Minister of Transport and Logistics, said that the launch of luxury train services is part of the National Strategy for Transport and Logistics to enhance quality of life and support national strategies, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
Dr Bashar Al-Malik, CEO of SAR, emphasized the company’s commitment to qualitative initiatives and noted that the ‘Dream of the Desert’ train represents a significant addition to its services, focusing on tourism and entertainment, and offering luxurious transportation services for visitors and residents.
Chairman of the Italian Group’s Board of Directors, Paolo Barletta, explained that the initial production stages of the Desert Dream train had recently begun in Italy in preparation for entering service according to the announced plan.
