THE Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), a city in Medina province, Saudi Arabia, has agreed a €500m contract with Alstom to build and equip a 22.4km light rail line that will be operated solely with battery-powered rolling stock.
The line will have 17 stations and will be operated with a fleet of 20 Citadis B battery LRVs.
Alstom will be responsible for comprehensive system design, integration, installation and testing and commissioning of the catenary-free light rail infrastructure. The manufacturer will also supply power, signalling, communications and depot equipment, and will maintain the fleet of LRVs for 10 years. Alstom will utilise its HealthHub tool to provide predictive maintenance and fleet management.
The LRVs will be manufactured across Alstom’s French production sites, including La Rochelle, where design and construction will take place.
The new line will offer “unmatched access” to AlUla’s five core historical districts, including Unesco world heritage sites at AlUla Old Town, Dadan, Jabal Ikmah, Nabataean Horizon, and Hegra Historical City.
Systra was appointed as lead design consultant for the project by RCU in 2022. The second phase of the project is expected to run for an additional 33km to the international airport, further strengthening AlUla’s development as an important regional transport centre.
“This project is truly unique as it combines sustainability, passenger experience, and immersion into the surroundings, in a region full of history and wonders,” says Mr Mohamed Khalil, managing director of Alstom Saudi Arabia. “It is so much more than a light rail line and we are extremely honoured to have been selected by the Royal Commission of AlUla.”
For detailed data on Middle East rail projects, subscribe to IRJ Pro.
