The PTA of Saudi Arabia invites the world rail industry to shape its future

At an event hugely influenced by the so-called "Saudi Vision 2030", the Public Transport Authority of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in tandem with SAR and SRO, invited all the major players in the global rail industry to present their privatisation plans for the sector in the coming years.

The conference, staged in the country's capital Riyadh, was opened by the Transport Minister, Nabil Al-Amoudi, who in his first few weeks in this post has made very clear that the government intends to put the railway system at the heart of its plans for passenger and freight transportation in the Kingdom. The strength of this commitment is illustrated by the existing projects and future plans of the PTA, and also by planned political moves over the coming months such as the introduction of tolls and charges on road transport and the reduction of air transport subsidies.

The event went smoothly and showcased the various opportunities for manufacturers, operators and other companies in relation to finished and planned projects. One important takeaway is that the PTA is keen to keep the number of entities it deals with to a minimum and is seeking a single operator or consortium which assumes responsibility for both freight and passenger transport.

Finally, LANDER was able to confirm first-hand that the Saudi government remains firmly committed to railway training in the country as it implements its ambitious plans for the country's rail system.

At LANDER we are confident that we can play our part in continuing to restore confidence in a country that has taken advantage of our services for many years.

We would like to thank the PTA for staging this wonderful event!