Services will operate weekly, departing Riyadh at 21.30 on Wednesdays and stopping at Qassim at 00.05 and Hail at 02.25 before arriving at Jauf near the Jordanian border at 05.20 on Thursday mornings.

Return services will depart Jauf at 23.30 on Saturdays, stopping at Hail at 02.15 and Qassim at 04.39 before arriving at Riyadh at 07.29 on Sunday mornings. SAR plans to gradually increase the frequency of the services, and will also extend operatios to Qurayyat.

CAF supplied four day trains and two overnight trains to operate on the line under a contract worth in excess of €400m. Each 280m-long day train comprises a diesel power car at each end and nine intermediate coaches while the night trains have a similar formation but with 13 intermediate coaches. Each couchette has capacity for four people and will have pillows, blankets as well as Wi-Fi, with staff on-hand to assist passengers throughout the journey.

Each train is designed to operate in desert environments in temperatures of up to 55oC to guarantee operation.