“Desert Dream Unveiled: Saudi Arabia Set to Introduce Exclusive Luxury Train Service”

Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR), the state-owned railway company, has partnered with Italian hospitality company Arsenale Group to launch the kingdom’s first luxury train service. The SAR and Arsenale Group collaboration is valued at 200 million Saudi riyals ($53.33 million). Set to commence operations in late 2025, the “Dream of the Desert” luxury train will offer “luxury train cruise” journeys from Riyadh, the capital city, to Qurayyat, near the northern border with Jordan. The 1,300-kilometer route will showcase Saudi Arabia’s breathtaking desert landscapes, passing through the city of Hail.

The train, with a design inspired by “Saudi style and tradition,” comprises 40 fully-customized luxury cabins. Reservations for the one or two-night trips will open at the end of the year, with a maximum capacity of 82 passengers. The train’s production has already commenced in Italy, and the debut is eagerly anticipated.

The move into the luxury train market aligns with global trends, where there is increasing demand for high-speed trains and luxury rail cruises. Many countries are investing heavily in new infrastructure to offer sustainable alternatives for travel. In the United States, President Joe Biden has committed $30 billion for rail projects, while France plans to invest around €100 billion ($106 billion) in its rail network by 2040.

Saudi Arabia’s Dream of the Desert service aims to consolidate assistance for passengers impacted by factors such as weather, offering a “greener choice” for transportation. Unlike traditional customer service structures, the new model will have a dedicated team known as the Customer Success team. For less complex issues, “lighter-touch” problems will be outsourced to international contact centers operating 24/7, aiming to decrease call volume by 20%.

The luxury train project comes as part of Saudi Arabia’s broader efforts to boost tourism and diversify its economy. The country plans to invest over $800 billion in tourism over the next decade, with a goal of attracting 70 million international tourists annually by 2030. Recent figures indicate success, with a 56% growth in international arrivals in 2023 compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

Saudi Arabia has been actively working on enhancing its rail infrastructure, with projects like the Haramain High-Speed Railway connecting Mecca and Medina with Jeddah. The country’s Investment Minister, Khalid al-Falih, announced plans in January 2022 to build 8,000 kilometers (4,970 miles) of rail across the country. The Dream of the Desert luxury train service adds to the ongoing developments as part of the Saudi Vision 2030 program.

CEO of SAR, Bashar bin Khaled Al Malik, believes that Dream of the Desert will be a significant addition, offering an integrated framework of luxurious transportation services, enabling visitors and residents to explore more regions of the kingdom. The luxury train service is expected to compete with global counterparts like the Orient Express – La Dolce Vita and the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. SAR expresses high hopes for the project, considering it a crucial step toward introducing luxury travel by train to the tourism market.