TURKEY'S STATE RAILWAYS TO COMPETE TO OPERATE HIGH-SPEED TRAIN IN SAUDI ARABIA

ANKARA (A.A) - 21.05.2010 - Turkey's State Railways, or TCDD, will be part of a consortium to bid to operate high-speed train services between Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia.
TCDD will act together with Siemens, Saudi Binladen Group and a Chinese railway construction company for a tender to be held on June 3.
Chinese firm is already carrying out infrastructure works of the high-speed train project. The consortium is one of the four consortia competing to sign a deal for the superstructure project of the railroad.
The winner of the tender will build superstructure, signalization system and operate the line for 12 years. 
A group of TCDD officials had earlier travelled to China to shape consortium's final financial bid.
Under the work plan of the consortium, Siemens will carry out signalization works and supply high-speed train sets. Saudi Binladen and Chinese firms will complete superstructure construction and undertake maintenance works. TCDD will operate the line for 12 years.
The rail project is a 450-kilometer, double line high-speed transport system. The rail project will provide safe transport at a speed of 350 kilometers per hour. The project is expected to be completed in three years.