Riyadh: Saudi Arabia and Qatar announced a landmark agreement on Monday to build a high-speed electric rail link connecting Riyadh and Doha. The announcement was made during a meeting of the Qatari-Saudi Coordination Council in Riyadh, attended by Qatar's Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

According to Anadolu Agency, a joint statement published by the official Saudi news agency SPA highlighted the strength of the economic ties between the two nations. It noted a sharp rise in bilateral trade, which reached $930.3 million in 2024, marking a 634% growth compared to 2021, excluding re-exported goods.

Both countries emphasized the importance of expanding and diversifying trade flows, removing obstacles to commercial movement, and capitalizing on opportunities in priority sectors under Saudi Vision 2030 and Qatar National Vision 2030.

The central announcement of the visit was the signing of the high-speed electric rail link agreement, which will connect Riyadh and Doha via Dammam and Al-Hofuf. The project is described as a major strategic initiative, aligned with national visions of 2030 and intended to facilitate tourism, trade, and mobility between the two peoples.

The two sides also welcomed several other agreements and memoranda of understanding signed during the visit in areas such as rail transport, investment facilitation, food security, media cooperation, and the non-profit sector. Following the meeting, the Qatari emir concluded his visit to Saudi Arabia.