100-Year-Old Hejaz Railway Connecting Damascus To Madinah To Be Revived!

Whether you are a history aficionado or not, you are probably already aware of the Hejaz Railway. Destroyed during World War, it once connected Damascus and Medina. And now it seems that it will be revived once again. As a part of an agreement between Turkey, Syria, and Jordan, a draft Memorandum of Understanding has been agreed upon, and we are here to tell you about this development.

Hejaz Railway To Be Revived Again?

As revealed by the National News, the Hejaz Railway, which once connected Damascus to Medina, is going to be revived. During a meeting in Amman on September 12, it was revealed that the three countries of Turkey, Jordan, and Syria have agreed upon a draft memorandum of understanding. With the aim of improving transport collaboration between the countries, the historic railway is being revived.

Rebuilding 30 Km Of Missing Link

It should be noted that Turkey will be drafting an overarching plan for the project. With the aim of helping to rebuild 30 km of the missing Syrian section of the line, this is a part of the agreement. In fact, Jordan will research the technical aspect of maintaining the locomotives and even operating them. As such, studies will also be conducted by the three countries so that there is an improvement in Turkey’s access to the Red Sea. This will be through the Port of Aqaba in Jordan.

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More About Hejaz Railway

For those who are wondering, Hejaz Railway began in 1900. This was under the order of Sultan Abdulahmed II. Originally, the railway planned to connect Istanbul to Makka. With the aim of easing pilgrimage and strengthening Automan control, the railway connected Damascus and Medina by 1908. However, the journey between the two cities was reduced once the railway began. Yes, the journey, which initially took 40 days by camel caravan, was now about 72 hours. But the initial aim of connecting to the South of Mecca was never realised.

When the railway was damaged during the First World War, it came to a halt. Now the revival aims to establish the railway as it was originally envisioned. So, this revival of the historic railway line is bound to be a big development and one that will take people on a journey that others once took in another century.

Cover Image Courtesy: Canva Pro/SurkovDimitri