SAUDI ARABIA: The Royal Commission for AlUla has awarded Alstom a €500m contract to supply a ‘truly unique’ tramway inspired by heritage including the historic Hedjaz Railway.
Alstom said the 22·4 km line would be the world’s longest catenary-free tramway, and will ‘encapsulate richness, history and green mobility like no other’.
The 17 stops will serve urban areas, archaeological sites and UNESCO World Heritage tourist destinations around five core historical districts of the ancient city, including AlUla Old Town (District 1), Dadan (District 2), Jabal Ikmah (District 3), Nabataean Horizon (District 4) and Hegra Historical City (District 5).
According to RCA, passengers on the ‘experiential’ tramway will be ‘immersed in a journey encapsulating AlUla’s profound connection to its history’ with ’an authentic, visual experience from oasis to desert while capturing the essence of pilgrimages from centuries past’.
Opening is planned for the second half of 2027, as part of a ‘360 Mobility’ sustainable transport plan developed by RCA with Systra and RATP Dev. This includes bicycle, equestrian and pedestrian travel as well as electric buses and autonomous pods.
Alstom will be responsible for comprehensive system design, integration, installation, testing and commissioning. This will include the power supply, signalling, communications and depot equipment, and 20 Citadis B battery-trams which are to be designed and built at its La Rochelle site in France.
Alstom will provide full maintenance for the trams for 10 years, using its Health Hub predictive maintenance and fleet management tool and an ‘itinerant workshop’ designed to provide flexibility and reduce capital expenditure. It will also provide training programmes.
Alstom will draw on its international experience including tramways in Dubai and Qatar, as well as the automated peoplemover at Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International Airport and the Riyadh metro.
‘This project is truly unique as it combines sustainability, passenger experience and immersion into the surroundings, in a region full of history and wonders’, said Mohamed Khalil, Managing Director of Alstom Saudi Arabia, on January 3. ’It is so much more than a tramway.’
