(31/01/2023) 


On 31 December 2017 the Haramain tests started. During this stage 111 services took place, carrying over 15,880 passengers. On 11 October 2018 the first commercial operations partially began, and on 31 March 2021 all the features were incorporated, date on which the period of twelve years of operation started. The contract awarded by the Saudi government includes an option to extend the years of operation to seventeen.

The consortium that operates this line, in which Renfe’s Saudi branch office is the main shareholder, has closed the year 2022 with the biggest offer since March 2021: 5.6 million passengers, more than 80 services at peak times every day and 23,500 trains covering over 7 million kilometres. All of them have registered punctuality that exceeds 97.5 percent.

This last year was noteworthy for the recovery of the demand following the suspension of operation for over a year, since April 2020 to March 2021, due to the pandemic. Since the service has been reactivated, the number of passengers has been reflecting an upward trend, and from November 2022, the number of 500,000 passengers a month has been exceeded. In addition, the offer has been increased with the incorporation of double-decker trains as well as additional services for the special Ramadan programmes and the largest pilgrimage week, Hajj, dates which bring a great number of people together between the cities of Mecca and Medina.

The first high-speed line in the Middle East was implemented by a Spanish consortium responsible since 2012 for the contract to execute the second phase of the Haramain project. This awarding includes the construction, operation and maintenance during twelve years, extendable to seven, of this connection.