Turkey and Jordan Move to Revive the Historic Hijaz Line to Damascus

Turkish Minister of Transport Abdulkadir Uraloğlu announced on Tuesday that his country will support a plan to complete the missing 30 kilometers of the Hijaz railway inside Syria, in a step aimed at reviving this historic line that has connected major Arab and Islamic cities for over a century.

The minister added that Jordan will explore the technical possibilities for the maintenance, repair, and operation of the locomotives, and will also consider the possibility of operating its own locomotives on the Hijaz line to the Syrian capital, Damascus, reflecting regional coordination to reactivate this vital corridor.

The Hijaz line is considered one of the most prominent historical railway projects in the region, and its operation has been halted for decades due to wars and political changes, while its reactivation is seen as a step towards enhancing economic and tourism connectivity between neighboring countries.