"The newly introduced train transportation service is a more reliable, convenient, and an environmentally friendly alternative."
— Fahad M. Alabdulkareem
Aramco has launched a new medium of transportation for employees commuting from al-Hasa to Abqaiq, utilizing the existing rails with a new scheduled trip, designated for Aramco employees.
The service, a collaborative effort between the Transportation & Equipment Services Department (T&ESD), Southern Area Oil Operations, and Government Affairs, started on July 25, 2021, and will continue for a trial period of three months.
“The newly introduced train transportation service is a more reliable, convenient, and an environmentally friendly alternative transportation method for Aramco employees at Abqaiq,” said Fahad M. Alabdulkareem, Industrial Services executive director, during the launch of the service.
Employees and contractors who are already eligible to use the bus service to commute between al-Hasa and Abqaiq can ride the train by scanning their Aramco IDs at the boarding counter. Passengers will be able to utilize a designated car parking area in al-Hofuf’s train station, and are transported upon arrival to their offices in Abqaiq by bus.
Minimizing Commute Time
The train service minimizes the commute journey to approximately 35 minutes, saving an average of 40 to 60 minutes of total commute time. Passengers will board the train from the existing train stations in al-Hasa and Abqaiq. Free snacks will be offered to all passengers, provided by the Southern Area Community Services Department.
“We will be collecting feedback and data during the first three months of the service to gauge the demand, and use this data for service improvement,” said Saad I. Alshamrani, T&ESD manager. T&ESD intends to expand the service to other areas upon successful utilization of train transportation.
Offering rail service as a commuting option is part of T&ESD’s mission of providing reliable, safe, cost-effective, and integrated transportation and equipment services while contributing to the local economy. Such service comes at a crucial time as the Kingdom just rolled out one of the Saudi Vision 2030 pillars, the National Transport and Logistics Strategy, targeting the expansion of railway transportation across the Kingdom.
— The Arabian Sun: July 28, 2021 | Vol. LXXVI, No. 28