Not all expats in Saudi Arabia can afford to get their own vehicles to travel to different places in the country. This is the reason why there is public transportation that serves as an alternative to those who are cutting their transportation budget. This article introduces the train system in the country which you can utilize in your daily life.
Also Read: Why You Should Visit Saudi Arabia
Traveling with public vehicles is not bad at all. It actually helps you cut your expenses while providing you easy and comfortable travel time. The good thing about the train system in Saudi Arabia is that it gives you the feeling of being in a flight as the interior designs of the train are like the ones you see in airplanes. Another indication that even if it’s just for public use, Saudi is doing extra effort to make everything nice for its residents. Here are the things you need to know when you travel to train in this country.
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What Are The Amenities Available?
The trains in Saudi Arabia have luxurious features! The amenities available are the following:
- WiFi access
- Separate seats for ladies
- Separate seats for families
- Air-conditioning
- A prayer room
- Comfortable seats for everyone
Train Services Of The Saudi Railways
- Riyadh to Dammam, Dammam to Riyadh – via Abqiq and Hufof railway stations
- Makkah, Jeddah, Airport, Kaec, Madinah and vice versa – via Haramain High-Speed Railways
Facts About the Opening Of Haramain High-Speed Railways
- The Haramain High-Speed Railways have just recently opened to public use.
- The travel time between two holy cities, Makkah and Madinah, would take a maximum of 10 hours.
- The project costed about SR60 billion and is the largest railway project in the Middle
- East which can transport 60 million passengers annually.
- It is a historical turning point in the modern transportation of the Kingdom.
- The train operates 4 days a week, from Thursday to Sunday.
- Stopping at Jeddah and Kaec would take an extra 20 minutes.
- It is in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 as it will help grow the number of people visiting the holy cities.
Also Read: Rules for Women Working in Saudi Arabia
How To Book A Train Ticket
- You don’t need to book one month in advance just to avail your journey ticket. You can go to the railway station a day before your trip to avail a ticket. There are cases wherein you can buy a ticket just a few hours before the departure.
- You can utilize the online booking via saudirailways.org or www.hhr.sa for Haramain services.
- If you are booking online, make sure that you click the “Pay Online” button so to give you an allowance of 3 days to pay for the fee.
- Keep your reference number as you will use this to pay for the fee.
- You can pay through internet banking or ATMs.
These are the things you need to be aware of so far. To add, it’s always better to book in advance to lessen the inconvenience. Don’t wait until the day of your travel to get your tickets. And don’t forget your Iqama while traveling because you won’t be able to use the railway system without it.