According to The National, the draft MoU was signed during a meeting in Amman on September 12, and assigns Turkey to draft an overarching plan and to rebuild roughly 30 kilometres of a missing Syrian section, while Jordan will study locomotive maintenance and the three states will examine improved Turkish access to the Red Sea via the Port of Aqaba.
Construction of the Hejaz Railway began in 1900 on the orders of Sultan Abdulhamid II. By 1908, the line linked Damascus to Madinah, cutting a caravan journey of about 40 days to roughly three days and branching west toward Haifa. The Ottoman-era route was damaged during World War I and further fragmented during later uprisings and the collapse of the empire.
Officials say the project combines heritage restoration with strategic transport objectives. Restored sections could attract tourists to historic stations and rolling stock, while a functioning corridor would offer Turkey a land bridge to the Red Sea and new freight options for trade with Asia and Africa. Turkish Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu described the plan as an effort to revive a ‘historic’ line and to ‘establish strong co-operation in international transport corridors.’
Planners face major technical choices. The original Hejaz line used narrow-gauge track; modern regional networks use standard gauge. Rebuilding as standard gauge would improve interoperability but alter the historic fabric. Other issues include mine and unexploded ordnance clearance in former conflict zones, bridge and tunnel repairs, rolling-stock procurement or restoration, signaling and potential electrification, and harmonising customs and border controls across three states.
On the other hand, preliminary feasibility and design work could take six months to two years. Rebuilding short damaged sections — such as the 30km stretch Turkey is to help reconstruct — could take months or a few years, while full corridor rehabilitation for commercial freight and passenger services would likely span several years to a decade, with costs ranging from hundreds of millions to several billion dollars depending on scope.
International financiers, reconstruction funds and private investors could be invited to back phased works, but they will require transparent governance, security guarantees and clear return-on-investment projections. Cross-border infrastructure also invites discussions with neighbouring states whose historic branches connect to Palestine and Saudi Arabia, meaning any northward or southward extension would require broader regional diplomacy beyond the three signatories. Implementation will hinge on detailed cost-benefit studies.
Map: The National