The high-speed line between Mecca and Medina (Haramain High-Speed Railway), operated by the consortium of which Renfe is a member company, achieved a new milestone during the first week of November by hitting the 20 million passenger mark since the start of commercial services in October 2018.
During 2024, the Saudi high-speed rail service has continued to consolidate its role as the most efficient and environmentally sustainable means of transport among holy cities of Islam, registering record numbers and high levels of quality of service.
In this regard, during the month of October the high-speed line registered 914,421 passengers in 2,404 commercial services. Likewise, the overall punctuality figures during the current year have hit 96.1% of on-time arrivals.
To celebrate the 20 million passengers of the Haramain High-Speed Railway, Renfe held an event to congratulate all Saudi workers participating in the process and whose performance has helped achieve the project's success.
The event was held at Saudi Rail 2024, the Saudi trade fair for the sector, in which Raül Blanco, Chairman of Renfe, and Armandino Fombella, Director of the Haramain project and Vice-President of the member company of the Spanish Consortium for the Meca Medina High-Speed Line participated.
Agreement with Saudi Railway Polytechnic
Renfe, in parallel, reinforces its role in the training and professionalisation of the railway sector in Saudi Arabia with the signing of a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Saudi Railway Polytechnic (SRP). This agreement is a strategic collaboration aimed at training the younger generations and promoting the professionalization of this sector in the region.
Since the beginning of its involvement in Saudi rail development, Renfe has trained more than 1,000 local citizens in various positions essential to the operation of rail services, including train drivers, operators, traffic controllers, on-board and station staff.
This effort represents the company's most ambitious international training project, carried out in close collaboration with SRP, a key partner in this process.
Renfe started to train the first Saudi high-speed train drivers in 2013 and 2014 at its Professional Technical School of Engine Drivers and Train Operations in Madrid. Since then, all drivers operating the high-speed service between Medina and Mecca have been trained by the Spanish company.
As part of this process, Renfe has trained over 300 high-speed engine drivers, including the first women in the Middle East to pursue this profession and who already account for more than a third of the workforce, a milestone in equal opportunities in the region.
In addition, Renfe's branch in Saudi Arabia has hired and trained more than 800 Saudis to perform functions in the commercial service, sales and operations departments.
Renfe's work has been officially recognised by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In a ceremony presided over by the Minister of Transport and the Governor of the Qassim region, the company's commitment to the "Saudization of the railway industry" was highlighted. According to the Saudi authorities, "the partnership between SRP and Renfe has been of profound value, contributing directly to the objectives of Vision 2030 and enabling the training of young citizens to lead the administration, operation and maintenance of the railway industry".
The new agreement signed with SRP within the framework of Saudi Rail guarantees the continuity of innovative training programmes and the development of highly qualified professionals and consolidates Renfe's position as an international benchmark in the railway industry.