Saudi Arabia Railways Reports Record Passenger and Freight Volumes in 2025
National rail operator moves over 14 million travellers and 30 million tonnes of cargo amid sustainability and tourism milestones
Saudi Arabia’s national rail operator, Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR), announced that 2025 was a record year for both passenger numbers and freight volumes, underscoring the expanding strategic role of rail in the Kingdom’s transport, logistics and environmental agendas.
SAR transported more than 14 million passengers last year, a significant increase from the 11.2 million recorded in 2023, reflecting growing public adoption of rail travel for both everyday mobility and intercity journeys.
Freight operations also surged, with approximately 30 million tonnes moved by rail across the network, up from around 24 million tonnes in 2023, driven by rising industrial output and logistics demand.
These freight volumes helped remove an estimated two million truck trips from Saudi highways, saving around 139 million litres of fuel and reducing carbon emissions by about 364 000 tonnes — contributions aligned with the Saudi Green Initiative and the National Transport and Logistics Strategy.
A notable feature of 2025 was the launch of “Dream of the Desert,” the Middle East and North Africa’s first dedicated luxury rail tourism service, designed to elevate experiential travel between Riyadh and Al Qurayyat with bespoke accommodations and cultural stopovers.
SAR has also announced a major real estate initiative with a SAR6 billion fund to develop land near the Haramain High Speed Railway station in Makkah, aimed at enhancing pilgrim infrastructure with hotels, retail and residential projects linked to transport hubs.
International recognition came in the form of an award from the International Union of Railways for SAR’s innovation in long-distance passenger services, highlighting the operator’s advances in integrating tourism and heavy rail.
These achievements reflect SAR’s central role in advancing Saudi Vision 2030 goals to diversify the economy, boost connectivity and support sustainable growth across the Kingdom’s transport sector.
SAR transported more than 14 million passengers last year, a significant increase from the 11.2 million recorded in 2023, reflecting growing public adoption of rail travel for both everyday mobility and intercity journeys.
Freight operations also surged, with approximately 30 million tonnes moved by rail across the network, up from around 24 million tonnes in 2023, driven by rising industrial output and logistics demand.
These freight volumes helped remove an estimated two million truck trips from Saudi highways, saving around 139 million litres of fuel and reducing carbon emissions by about 364 000 tonnes — contributions aligned with the Saudi Green Initiative and the National Transport and Logistics Strategy.
A notable feature of 2025 was the launch of “Dream of the Desert,” the Middle East and North Africa’s first dedicated luxury rail tourism service, designed to elevate experiential travel between Riyadh and Al Qurayyat with bespoke accommodations and cultural stopovers.
SAR has also announced a major real estate initiative with a SAR6 billion fund to develop land near the Haramain High Speed Railway station in Makkah, aimed at enhancing pilgrim infrastructure with hotels, retail and residential projects linked to transport hubs.
International recognition came in the form of an award from the International Union of Railways for SAR’s innovation in long-distance passenger services, highlighting the operator’s advances in integrating tourism and heavy rail.
These achievements reflect SAR’s central role in advancing Saudi Vision 2030 goals to diversify the economy, boost connectivity and support sustainable growth across the Kingdom’s transport sector.
