Hejaz railway that once stretched from Damascus to Madinah set to be revived

Turkey, Syria and Jordan agree draft memorandum to restore line built in 1900

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  A preserved steam train on the Hejaz railway, near Wadi Rum desert, Jordan. The train was used in the film Lawrence of Arabia. Getty Images

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  The Hejaz railway that once connected Damascus to Madinah is going to be revived. Getty Images

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  Kadem Station, one of the most important stops on the historic Hejaz Railway and once a meeting point for pilgrims traveling to the Holy Land, now vandalised by forces of the ousted Baath regime, in the Syrian capital Damascus. Getty Images

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  Hejaz Railway Station in Damascus, after Syrian rebels toppled Bashar Al Assad, in December 2024. Reuters

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  The railway was originally intended to link Istanbul to Makkah, to ease pilgrimage. By 1908 it connected Damascus to Madinah, but its initial aim was never realised. Getty Images

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  A steam train on the Hejaz railway at Madain Saleh, in AlUla, Saudi Arabia. Reuters

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  Disused carriages at Kadem Station, Damascus. Getty Images

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  Disused parts of the Hejaz Railway in 2007, in Mkhaibeh, Jordan. Getty Images

The Hejaz railway that once connected Damascus to Madinah is going to be revived as part of an agreement between Turkey, Syria and Jordan.

The three countries agreed a draft memorandum of understanding during a meeting in Amman on September 12, it has been revealed.

It was known that the meeting was aimed at bolstering transport collaborations between the three countries. However, in a statement this week, Turkey’s Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said: “The historic Hejaz Railway is being revived.”

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As part of the agreement, Turkey will draft an overarching plan for the project and help to rebuild 30km of the missing Syrian section of the line. Jordan will research the technical aspects of maintaining and operating the locomotives. Studies will also be conducted by the three countries to improve Turkey’s access to the Red Sea through the Port of Aqaba in Jordan.

Construction of the Hejaz railway began in 1900, under the orders of Sultan Abdulhamid II. It was originally intended to link Istanbul to Makkah, to ease pilgrimage and strengthen Ottoman control over remote provinces.

By 1908, the railway had connected Damascus to Madinah. The railway reduced the journey between the two cities, which used to take 40 days by camel caravan, to about 72 hours. The line also branched out from Deraa towards Palestine, specifically to Haifa.

The old Hejaz Station building in the centre of Damascus. AFP

However, its initial aim of extending north to Istanbul and south to Makkah was never realised. The railway was damaged during the First World War and sabotaged during the Arab Revolt to weaken Ottoman supply lines. As the empire collapsed after the war, the railway came to a halt.

Whether the revival plan will establish the railway as it was originally envisioned, and whether the line will be extended to Istanbul are still unconfirmed.

However, the land transport routes between the three countries will be enhanced, resuming after a 14-year disruption due to the Syrian civil war that ended in December with the toppling of Bashar Al Assad’s regime.

“While preserving our region’s historical heritage, we are also establishing strong co-operation in international transport corridors,” Mr Uraloglu said. “We will continue to work towards a shared future in transportation.”