The opening ceremony was attended by Saudi Arabia’s deputy transport minister, Mr Saad bin Abdul Aziz Al-Khaleb, the chairman of the Public Transport Authority, Dr Rumaih Al-Rumaih, and the CEO of SAR, Dr Bashar bin Khaled Al-Malik.

The daily Riyadh - Majmaah - Qassim passenger service will be extended north to Hail on three days week. On Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays the 09.30 from Riyadh will arrive in Hail at 14.06, and return from Hail at 15.25 with a 20.11 arrival in Riyadh. Hail is 623km north of Riyadh.

Hail station has two platforms and is built on three levels. It has separate arrival and departure halls, a restaurant, shops, tourist information desk, car hire desks, a post office and a mosque for 300 worshipers.

SAR plans to introduce passenger services on the northern 645km section of the North-South Railway from Hail to Jouf and Al-Qurayyat on the Jordanian border in 2018.