Haramain High Speed Railway
| Haramain High Speed Railway | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Native name | قطار الحرمين السريع | ||
| Status | Operational | ||
| Termini | |||
| Stations | 5 | ||
| Website | sar | ||
| Service | |||
| Type | Intercity, high-speed railway | ||
| Operator(s) | Saudi Arabia Railways | ||
| Rolling stock | Talgo 350 SRO | ||
| Ridership | 6.97 million (2023) | ||
| History | |||
| Opened | 11 October 2018 | ||
| Technical | |||
| Line length | 453.0 kilometres (281.5 mi) | ||
| Number of tracks | 2 | ||
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge | ||
| Electrification | 25 kV AC, 60 Hz overhead catenary | ||
| Operating speed | 300 km/h (186 mph) | ||
| |||
The Haramain High Speed Railway (Arabic: قطار الحرمين السريع, romanized: qiṭār al-ḥaramayn as-sarīʿ, Hejazi Arabic pronunciation: [ɡɪtˤaːr alħarameːn asːariːʕ], abbreviated HHR), is a passenger railway serving the Mecca and Medina provinces in western Saudi Arabia. The 449.2-kilometre-long (279.1 mi) main line directly connects the Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina (collectively known as the Haramain), via Jeddah and the King Abdullah Economic City. A 3.75-kilometre (2.33 mi) branch line provides connections to the King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah. It opened to the public on 11 October 2018.
The HHR has a service speed of 300 km/h (186 mph), making it the first high-speed railway in Saudi Arabia and West Asia. Construction began in March 2009 and the railway was officially inaugurated on 25 September 2018, opening to the public on 11 October 2018.