Author(s)

M. Aldagheiri

Abstract

The national economic diversification is considered a strategic goal for the Saudi Arabian government in most economic sectors away from the oil sector (e.g. Minerals, Agriculture, and Manufacturing). The development of these sectors has led to a high demand for transportation infrastructure, the provision of which has become a necessity. The transportation infrastructure affects most aspects of regional economic development, because most economic activities either depend on or use transportation means in the transport of products. Moreover, transportation means affect regional productivity by connecting different regions to each other and allowing the exchange of goods and services to occur among them. Additionally, it is considered a key component in business efficiency in the level and ease of access it provides to customers, markets, materials and workers. Therefore, to provide information about the ability of the existing transportation infrastructure to contribute to any economic activity, it is necessary to identify and evaluate the level of the existence of the transportation infrastructure in Saudi Arabia. This paper aims to evaluate the railways as a one of the important infrastructural systems. Keywords: railways, transportation infrastructure, Saudi Arabia. 1 Introduction Transportation systems, including railways, are considered an essential feature of all modern economies. Yeser [1] stated that transportation was considered for a long time to be the most important factor in regional, economic and social development. Transportation has an important role in increasing production, reducing travel times, increasing employment and improving accessibility. Furthermore, it plays an important role in reducing regional disparities and in

Keywords

railways, transportation infrastructure, Saudi Arabia