What Was the First Railway Inaugurated in Saudi Arabia?

The first railway line in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was inaugurated in 1951, connecting Dammam and Riyadh.

The idea for the railway emerged alongside the plan to establish a commercial port on the Arabian Gulf Coast. This port was intended to receive ships carrying oil exploration equipment and oil tankers. The Founder King Abdulaziz Bin Abdulrahman Al Saud approved the plan and ordered its immediate execution.

Construction of the railway began in October 1947, and in October 1951, King Abdulaziz inaugurated the first railway connecting Riyadh and Dammam in a ceremony held in Riyadh.