By: The Eur Asian times

Saudi Arabia and Qatar have announced plans to construct a high-speed electric railway connecting Riyadh and Doha, covering 785 kilometers and reaching speeds over 300 km/h. The project, expected to be completed in six years, will reduce travel time between the capitals to roughly two hours and aims to serve 10 million passengers annually, create nearly 30,000 jobs, and generate an economic impact of around $30.64 billion.

This ambitious initiative marks a significant warming in relations, which were severely strained during a Saudi-led boycott of Qatar from 2017 to 2021. At that time, Saudi Arabia, along with the UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt, severed diplomatic and transport ties, demanding Qatar cease support for groups like the Muslim Brotherhood, shut down Al Jazeera, and cut ties with Iran. Qatar resisted, relying on support from Turkey, Iran, and Western allies, and weathered the boycott without conceding.

The recent geopolitical shift in the Middle East has facilitated this reconciliation. With the weakening of Iran's regional influence—the so-called "Shia crescent"—and the growing assertiveness of Israel following the Israel-Hamas war, both Saudi Arabia and Qatar perceive a shared need to bolster regional stability and counter new security challenges. The railway project symbolizes a strategic pivot toward deeper economic integration and collective resilience amid a transformed regional landscape.