Türkiye is planning to revive the historic Hejaz Railway and eventually extend it to Oman, creating a new trade corridor linking the Mediterranean region to the Arabian Sea while providing an alternative route to the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
Turkish Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu announced the plans on Wednesday, describing the project as both a restoration of an important part of Islamic and Ottoman heritage and a modern transportation initiative aimed at boosting regional connectivity.
Speaking at the Anadolu Editor Desk, Uraloglu said the first phase of the project would connect Türkiye to the Syrian city of Aleppo, making use of existing railway infrastructure that continues south through Damascus and Jordan. Discussions are also ongoing with Saudi Arabia regarding the future expansion of the network.
The long-term vision is to extend the railway across the Arabian Peninsula to Oman, providing access to the ocean and creating a potential alternative trade route that reduces reliance on the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy and shipping corridors.
The announcement comes alongside Türkiye’s broader efforts to strengthen regional transport networks. Uraloglu confirmed that the design phase of the 1,200-kilometre Development Road Project, which will connect Iraq’s Basra Gulf region to the Turkish border through highways, railways, energy and communications infrastructure, has been completed. The project is being developed in partnership with the UAE, Qatar, Iraq and Türkiye and will proceed once regional conditions become more stable.
The minister also highlighted progress on the Zangezur Corridor and major railway developments in Istanbul, including plans to add rail infrastructure to the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge to increase freight and passenger capacity between Europe and Asia.
Reviving a Railway of History
The Hejaz Railway was one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects of the late Ottoman Empire. Ordered by Sultan Abdul Hamid II in 1900, the railway was constructed between 1900 and 1908 and stretched approximately 1,320 kilometres from Damascus to Medina through the Hejaz region.
Built on a narrow-gauge track measuring 1,050 millimetres, the railway’s primary purpose was to facilitate travel for Muslim pilgrims heading to the holy cities of Medina and Makkah while strengthening Ottoman administrative and military control over distant territories. The project was funded largely through donations from Muslims around the world and became a symbol of Islamic unity.
The railway operated successfully until the outbreak of the First World War. During the Arab Revolt between 1916 and 1918, the line became a major target for guerrilla attacks led by Arab forces and supported by T. E. Lawrence. Numerous bridges, stations and trains were destroyed in an effort to disrupt Ottoman supply routes.
Much of the southern section between Ma’an and Medina suffered extensive damage and was never fully restored following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. The railway network was subsequently divided among the newly established states that emerged after the war.
Today, remnants of the railway can still be found across Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Historic stations, bridges, tunnels and abandoned locomotives remain scattered throughout the desert, with several sites becoming popular tourist attractions. Restored stations in Medina and Hegra preserve part of the railway’s legacy, while limited rail operations continue on some sections in Jordan.
If completed, Türkiye’s proposed revival would mark the most significant redevelopment of the historic Hejaz Railway in more than a century, transforming a line once built for pilgrims into a modern transport corridor linking multiple regions of the Middle East.
