![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HLILMUZA67UHET7GPLHIXZQKYM.jpg?smart=true&auth=77a4740ba3c0b5061ff73df59cc7d133b49d2973f771ba7653d6161336ad695b&width=400&height=225)
A coral reef with anthias fish at Yub'a island dive site, off the northwest of the island, in Neom.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/OEKKDGXZQJTM6YWFH5TRXBAHMI.png?smart=true&auth=de2725e2b56da992d1c469ac0a796d9ae431dc5684cccb06e1716c44bff34798&width=400&height=225)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has announced The Line, a 170km belt of hyper-connected future communities, without cars and roads. Images courtesy Neom
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/7EVYYKFDC5YKG3K3A55F474CFE.png?smart=true&auth=5270a6bf7c7c83319e49d7036101d1fa0048b28b76519087d085b4753fe51988&width=400&height=225)
Plans for the city include "zero carbon emissions", Prince Mohammed said. Construction will begin before the end of March.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/LPWIWTJBCVJF4WNH4ASIEZZZJU.png?smart=true&auth=89a5e9d4170226f8c192264d7f04350e768f7d332c6abf90277a673666991f23&width=400&height=225)
Prince Mohammed, who is chairman of the board of the Neom Company, said that The Line has been designed to allow residents to "fulfil all of their daily requirements within a five-minute walk".
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NVEBA2AIP44GE4UPHYCMDLDFAI.jpg?smart=true&auth=ffda894ce1b55a366cfc7773048f7087d6ec72e735d390eaa6d410f65b654c81&width=400&height=225)
Neom is the flagship project of Saudi Arabia's post-oil diversification plan, known as Vision 2030, that seeks to reduce the country's reliance on hydrocarbons.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/4DC6THMW2NP5EYMIHUDTG2TOXU.jpg?smart=true&auth=8546a27f19207a9fb7f00ef5f7ab4cf6099e6a1c04c80d160422d0b60227b6ae&width=400&height=225)
The city will be 100 per cent powered by renewable energy and the cost of infrastructure will be 30 per cent cheaper than more traditional cities.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YGWT6PV2H436ZDNN3SUCU3JWTI.jpg?smart=true&auth=268176f21abc7bcd702ec6d17fd03b486d89aebdb97d3bca3431542b00a5f93f&width=400&height=225)
It is being overseen by the Public Investment Fund and is set to create hundreds of thousands of jobs and contribute tens of billions of dollars to the kingdom's GDP.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/FL7WUU6624SUH5BLXORUIL4UJ4.jpg?smart=true&auth=f74324fb04858db1f3ad1cc3fd72715de365d9edf88096cf46b90a2b28c54d4f&width=400&height=225)
Neom spans 26,500 square kilometres.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/GZCDUFIUG5LOAGLZEQBUN7SEV4.jpg?smart=true&auth=848d8c0d252437b79ce40c350f7d79eb57576938286c9b186b7f408ec2399c1d&width=400&height=225)
It will contain towns and cities, ports and enterprise zones, research centres, sports venues, entertainment sites and tourist destinations.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/PCMKIBK36GMAJKA5O5B6TRXFVE.jpg?smart=true&auth=1cc5d6f97fb86d5708a1308088dde895cfd4fc65e1e9c4dad8a264b24f434546&width=400&height=225)
The bulk of construction will take place over the next decade, with a target of hosting one million residents by 2030.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HLILMUZA67UHET7GPLHIXZQKYM.jpg?smart=true&auth=77a4740ba3c0b5061ff73df59cc7d133b49d2973f771ba7653d6161336ad695b&width=400&height=225)
A coral reef with anthias fish at Yub'a island dive site, off the northwest of the island, in Neom.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/OEKKDGXZQJTM6YWFH5TRXBAHMI.png?smart=true&auth=de2725e2b56da992d1c469ac0a796d9ae431dc5684cccb06e1716c44bff34798&width=400&height=225)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has announced The Line, a 170km belt of hyper-connected future communities, without cars and roads. Images courtesy Neom
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/7EVYYKFDC5YKG3K3A55F474CFE.png?smart=true&auth=5270a6bf7c7c83319e49d7036101d1fa0048b28b76519087d085b4753fe51988&width=400&height=225)
Plans for the city include "zero carbon emissions", Prince Mohammed said. Construction will begin before the end of March.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/LPWIWTJBCVJF4WNH4ASIEZZZJU.png?smart=true&auth=89a5e9d4170226f8c192264d7f04350e768f7d332c6abf90277a673666991f23&width=400&height=225)
Prince Mohammed, who is chairman of the board of the Neom Company, said that The Line has been designed to allow residents to "fulfil all of their daily requirements within a five-minute walk".
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NVEBA2AIP44GE4UPHYCMDLDFAI.jpg?smart=true&auth=ffda894ce1b55a366cfc7773048f7087d6ec72e735d390eaa6d410f65b654c81&width=400&height=225)
Neom is the flagship project of Saudi Arabia's post-oil diversification plan, known as Vision 2030, that seeks to reduce the country's reliance on hydrocarbons.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/4DC6THMW2NP5EYMIHUDTG2TOXU.jpg?smart=true&auth=8546a27f19207a9fb7f00ef5f7ab4cf6099e6a1c04c80d160422d0b60227b6ae&width=400&height=225)
The city will be 100 per cent powered by renewable energy and the cost of infrastructure will be 30 per cent cheaper than more traditional cities.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YGWT6PV2H436ZDNN3SUCU3JWTI.jpg?smart=true&auth=268176f21abc7bcd702ec6d17fd03b486d89aebdb97d3bca3431542b00a5f93f&width=400&height=225)
It is being overseen by the Public Investment Fund and is set to create hundreds of thousands of jobs and contribute tens of billions of dollars to the kingdom's GDP.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/FL7WUU6624SUH5BLXORUIL4UJ4.jpg?smart=true&auth=f74324fb04858db1f3ad1cc3fd72715de365d9edf88096cf46b90a2b28c54d4f&width=400&height=225)
Neom spans 26,500 square kilometres.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/GZCDUFIUG5LOAGLZEQBUN7SEV4.jpg?smart=true&auth=848d8c0d252437b79ce40c350f7d79eb57576938286c9b186b7f408ec2399c1d&width=400&height=225)
It will contain towns and cities, ports and enterprise zones, research centres, sports venues, entertainment sites and tourist destinations.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/PCMKIBK36GMAJKA5O5B6TRXFVE.jpg?smart=true&auth=1cc5d6f97fb86d5708a1308088dde895cfd4fc65e1e9c4dad8a264b24f434546&width=400&height=225)
The bulk of construction will take place over the next decade, with a target of hosting one million residents by 2030.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HLILMUZA67UHET7GPLHIXZQKYM.jpg?smart=true&auth=77a4740ba3c0b5061ff73df59cc7d133b49d2973f771ba7653d6161336ad695b&width=400&height=225)
A coral reef with anthias fish at Yub'a island dive site, off the northwest of the island, in Neom.
Neom's The Line will be a futuristic lab for the '15-minute city'
The planned metropolis will have no cars, no roads and limited travel times - realising many urban planners' biggest dreams
![Kelsey Warner](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2Fb09f6fe4-e78b-4b08-96b9-e04d16dacaf6.png?smart=true&auth=76d0b4dc914dff960afc62a1644b68a83c78745c441118319bcd0f36fd79424c&width=70&height=70)
Kelsey Warner
25 January, 2021
- Listen In English
- Listen In Arabic