File photo used for representation only
ANKARA: Turkish Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloglu has revealed ongoing discussions with Saudi Arabia on reviving the Hejaz Railway and extending it to the Sultanate of Oman as part of a broader vision to enhance regional connectivity and provide an alternative route to the Strait of Hormuz.
According to Anadolu Agency report, Uraloglu said Turkiye aims to revive the historic railway as a modern line serving both tourism and transportation purposes.
He noted that the section linking the Syrian capital Damascus with the Jordanian capital Amman could be reactivated as part of the project.
He added that discussions are also underway with Saudi Arabia, with the ultimate goal of extending the railway to Oman and connecting it to the Indian Ocean, thereby creating an alternative route to the Strait of Hormuz.
The Hejaz Railway is one of the region’s most prominent historical infrastructure projects. Built between 1900 and 1908, it originally stretched approximately 1,322 kilometres between the Levant and Madinah before later extensions increased its total length to around 1,900 kilometres.
In a separate development, Uraloglu announced that preparations for the Development Road Project, a 1,200-kilometre transport corridor linking Iraq’s Grand Faw Port on the Arabian Gulf to the Turkish border, have been completed.
Uraloglu said the corridor will include highways, railway networks, energy infrastructure and telecommunications links, making it a major strategic route for regional trade.
The Development Road Project is designed to facilitate trade between the Gulf region and Europe by linking Iraq’s Grand Faw Port with Turkiye and onward to European markets through an integrated rail and road network.
