Haramain High Speed Railway
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.
| Haramain High Speed Railway | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Native name | قطار الحرمين السريع | ||
| Status | Operational | ||
| Termini |
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| Stations | 5 | ||
| Website | sar | ||
| Service | |||
| Type | Intercity, high-speed railway | ||
| Operator(s) | Saudi Arabian Railways | ||
| Rolling stock | Talgo 350 SRO | ||
| Ridership | 50 million per year (expected) | ||
| 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, 50 Hz Overhead catenary | ||
| Operating speed |
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The HHR is designed for a top speed of 350 km/h (220 mph) and with a service speed of 300 km/h (190 mph), making it the first high-speed railway in Saudi Arabia. Construction began in March 2009 and the railway was officially inaugurated on 25 September 2018, opening to the public on 11 October 2018. Initial estimates had predicted the railway serving at least 60 million passengers annually.