Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) and the Republic of Türkiye State Railways (TCDD) signed a memorandum of understanding on Tuesday to strengthen cooperation in the railway sector, as both countries explore opportunities linked to the revival of the historic Hejaz Railway corridor.

The agreement was signed at SAR headquarters in Riyadh by SAR Chief Executive Officer Dr. Bashar Al-Malik and TCDD Director General and Chairman Veysi Kurt, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

The memorandum aims to enhance cooperation in railway maintenance and repair, infrastructure development, capacity management, training and consultancy services, establishing a framework for long-term collaboration between the two rail operators.

The signing comes amid growing regional efforts to restore and modernize parts of the historic Hejaz Railway, a rail network built during the Ottoman era that once connected Damascus to Medina and served as a vital transportation route across the region.

Recent initiatives involving Türkiye, Syria and Jordan have sought to revive portions of the line as part of a broader transportation and logistics corridor linking the Levant with the Arabian Peninsula.

Turkish officials have previously said the long-term vision for the project includes reconnecting railway networks across Türkiye, Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, creating a trade and transportation corridor that could eventually extend from Europe to the Gulf. The project is also viewed as a potential alternative route for regional commerce and supply chains.

SAR said the new agreement reflects both sides’ commitment to developing a comprehensive partnership across multiple areas of the railway industry and facilitating the exchange of technical and operational expertise.

Following the signing ceremony, officials from both organizations held talks attended by senior executives and discussed opportunities for cooperation in rail operations, maintenance and technology.

The Turkish delegation also toured SAR’s Operations and Control Center, where they were briefed on the technologies and systems used to manage rail operations across the Kingdom’s expanding network.

Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in rail infrastructure under Vision 2030, including the expansion of freight corridors and passenger services such as the Haramain High-Speed Railway.

The Kingdom is also pursuing greater regional connectivity through rail projects designed to support trade, tourism and economic diversification.