A collaboration between Saudi Arabia Railways and Italian luxury brand Arsenale, Dream of the Desert will make its inaugural journey by the end of 2026 — and while fares are yet to be confirmed, there’s no doubt that this railway ride will take passengers to new heights of luxury.
The first five-star rail service in the region, the train will travel a distance of around 780 miles through the Arabian Desert, from Riyadh to Al Qurayyat, near the northern border with Jordan.
In addition to human rights concerns, The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advises against all travel to parts of Saudi Arabia, citing safety risks on the border with Yemen.
In an Instagram post, the architect described the train as a ‘luxuriant journey of wonderment and cultural immersion in the pristine sceneries of the Saudi Arabian desert’.
Dream of the Desert is one of several contemporary transport initiatives in Saudi Arabia, as it seeks to become a major global tourist destination.
