Technical Framework

The Hejaz Railway was originally a narrow‐gauge line (1,050 mm). It was built around 1900–1908 under Abdul Hamid II. It stretched from Damascus (and beyond) toward Medina. The railway linked key parts of the Ottoman Empire.

In the current revival plans among Turkey, Syria and Jordan the following technical issues are front and centre:

• Missing superstructure: About 30 km of track in Syria are identified as missing or severely damaged; Turkey has committed to assist in restoring that segment.
• Gauge and interoperability: The historic Hejaz line used narrow gauge, but modern regional rail networks mostly use standard gauge (1,435 mm). One key question is whether to rebuild strictly on the historic gauge (heritage value) or convert/up‐upgrade to standard gauge for freight/passenger interoperability.
• Infrastructure rehabilitation: Bridges, tunnels, embankments, drainage infrastructure must be repaired or upgraded—especially given the desert/wadi terrain the original railway passed through (which suffered flash flooding, washouts)
• Rolling stock & operations: Jordan is exploring its technical capacity to maintain, repair and operate locomotives for the line (including in Syria) under the agreement.
• Signalling, electrification, border logistics: For a revived line to serve modern freight and passenger traffic, beyond the heritage element, modern signalling, possibly electrification or at least diesel‐heavy rail upgrades, customs/border systems across three states must be aligned.
• Phased deployment: The initial phase emphasises passenger service (Damascus–Amman link by end of perhaps 2026) and later freight service, which demands heavier axle loads and more robust track and structure.

Economic & Regional Benefits

The technical revival of the Hejaz Railway offers several economic and strategic upsides:

1. Trade corridor creation
   • By restoring this rail link (and the wider transport corridor between Turkey, Syria, Jordan), Turkey can strengthen access to the Red Sea via Jordan’s Port of Aqaba, and onward maritime links to Asia/Africa.
   • For Syria and Jordan, the line offers improved connectivity for goods and people, reducing reliance on only road transport, and potentially lowering logistics cost and time.
2. Passenger transport & tourism
   • Early plans emphasize passenger services (Damascus–Amman) as a first phase. This re‐activates inter‐capital rail travel, boosts regional mobility, and taps into tourism—heritage rail journeys along the old Hejaz alignment can become attractions.
   • Jordan already uses parts of the old line for tourist trips around Wadi Rum; a broader revival increases destination options.
3. Reconstruction stimulus & employment
   • Syria’s reconstruction will get a boost: the heavy civil‐engineering work (tracks, bridges, signalling) creates jobs, firms, ancillary industries. By anchoring the project in trilateral cooperation, the revival channelizes investment.
   • The work also restores infrastructure that has strategic value, helping to rebuild connectivity lost during the conflict years.
4. Freight logistics upgrade
   • When upgraded for freight (in 3-5 years after passenger phase), the line can carry heavier loads, linking production/exports (e.g., Jordanian goods or Syrian goods) to Turkey and beyond. This broadens export markets, enhances regional competitiveness.
   • By providing alternative land transport routes (rail + road) through Syrian territory, transit times/costs may drop, enabling more efficient supply‐chains.
5. Heritage, soft‐power and regional integration
   • The Hejaz line carries historical and cultural weight (pilgrim route, Ottoman legacy) which can be leveraged for heritage tourism and regional branding.
   • The trilateral cooperation itself signals renewed regional connectivity, which may attract international investment and contribute to stabilizing transport infrastructure.

Key Challenges & Considerations

• Security and remaining war damage in Syria mean that actual works will face risk and uncertainty.
• Financing: upgrading for freight (standard gauge, heavy loads) will cost hundreds of millions to billions of dollars in total. Feasibility and business cases must be robust.
• Harmonization of standards: gauge, signalling, customs/immigration, cross‐border operations all must be coordinated.
• Balancing heritage preservation vs modern performance: heritage trains may run on old gauge, but for mass freight/passenger use, modern standards prevail. The choice impacts cost and utility.

Conclusion

The revival of the Hejaz Railway by Turkey, Syria and Jordan is technically ambitious and economically promising. When fully implemented, it can re‐position the corridor linking Anatolia, the Levant and the Red Sea into a modern transport artery. The technical roadmap—restore missing track, rationalise gauge/standards, build robust infrastructure, roll out modern operations—sets the foundation. Economically, benefits span trade, tourism, reconstruction and regional integration.