Saudi Arabia and Qatar plan high-speed rail link

Seven years after Saudi Arabia suggested digging a canal between the kingdom and Qatar and filling it with nuclear waste, the two governments are now planning a cross-border, high-speed rail link. The canal project — which was always more bluster than reality — was quietly shelved as the rift between the Gulf countries healed. This week, Saudi Arabia’s crown prince and Qatar’s emir met in Riyadh and agreed to build an electric passenger railway to connect their two capitals’ airports, passing through the Saudi cities of Al-Hofuf and Dammam. Officials said the trip would take around two hours, compared to a 90-minute flight, and services are expected to begin in six years.