New Hejaz Railway route to Mecca aims to reduce reliance on Hormuz

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is pursuing the revival of the historic Hejaz Railway, a project first conceived by Ottoman Sultan Abdulhamid II over a century ago. The original plan aimed to create a rail link between Istanbul and the holy city of Mecca, but was interrupted by World War I. Erdoğan, an admirer of the Sultan, sees the renewed project as a strategic move to bolster Turkey's influence in the Middle East and capitalize on regional shifts. The railway, named after a region in modern-day Saudi Arabia, was intended to connect Mecca and Medina with Damascus, then continuing to Istanbul via existing routes. The Sultan's vision was to facilitate the Islamic Hajj pilgrimage, boost trade, and strengthen the cohesion of his multi-ethnic empire. However, the expansion was halted in Medina due to the war.

Erdoğan is leveraging his government's positive relations with the current Syrian administration, through which the railway is planned to pass. While a Saudi high-speed train currently operates between Mecca and Medina, approximately 400 kilometers of track through Jordan and Syria remain incomplete. Turkey's Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu stated that the first trains on the new Hejaz route could be operational within three to four years. Discussions are also underway to potentially connect other Gulf states and Yemen to the network later. The funding for this ambitious project remains uncertain, with no financial commitments yet secured from Turkey or Saudi Arabia. Nevertheless, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Turkish and Saudi transport ministers in Riyadh last week.

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his 'dream'

Uraloglu envisions the new Hejaz Railway serving as a route for transporting oil and gas towards Turkey. This could make the railway an attractive option for Arab nations seeking alternative export routes for their resources. Even with a potential easing of tensions regarding the Strait of Hormuz following an agreement with the United States, some Arab politicians remain concerned about Iran's ability to block the vital waterway during future crises. In addition to the Hejaz Railway, Erdoğan's government is also advancing another major transport initiative, the "Development Road" project, a $17 billion endeavor aimed at connecting Iraqi oil ports on the Persian Gulf to Turkey via rail and road, and subsequently to Western markets.

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the first trains on the new Hejaz route should be running in three to four years