Northern Borders region traces transport shift from Darb Zubaydah to modern networks

The Northern Borders region has undergone significant transformations in transportation over successive eras, evolving from the historic Darb Zubaydah route—once vital for Hajj and trade—to modern railway and air transport systems. These developments have strengthened the region’s connectivity with the rest of the Kingdom and supported economic activity.

Darb Zubaydah stands as a prominent testament to the history of pilgrimage and trade routes in the Arabian Peninsula. Stretching over 1,400 kilometers, it features 27 main stations, an equal number of secondary stations, and around 50 large cisterns and reservoirs built to meet the needs of pilgrims and travelers over long distances.

The route runs from Kufa in the north, passing through Rafha, Hail, and Qassim, and ends in Makkah. It formed an integrated system of stations, cisterns, wells, and water facilities that facilitated the movement of pilgrims and travelers.

Advanced engineering solutions along Darb Zubaydah

The Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve encompasses more than 400 kilometers of the route, including several key historical stations such as Zubala, Al-Shehiyat, Al-Ashar, Al-Bada’, and Al-Waseet Al-Sharqi. Many of these still retain architectural remnants and artifacts that document the region’s transport history.

The water structures along the route reveal advanced engineering solutions for water management. Some cisterns were designed in stepped forms to ease access at varying water levels, with smaller basins used to filter impurities before water reached the main reservoirs.

Modern transport networks boost economic integration

As Saudi Arabia’s transport infrastructure has advanced, railways have emerged as a key driver of the modern economy, particularly in transporting mineral resources and linking extraction sites with processing and export facilities.

The North Train freight line stretches 1,550 kilometers from Al-Jalamid mine in the Northern Borders, passing through Al-Jouf and Hail to the Al-Buwaytha junction in Qassim, and on to processing facilities in Ras Al-Khair in the Eastern Province. In the second quarter of 2026, the North Train transported around 3.3 million tons of goods, highlighting the railway’s role in supporting economic supply chains.

Arar International Airport is another major facility in the region, with a capacity of one million passengers and over 10,000 flights annually. The total project cost reached 382 million riyals (SAR). In 2026, the airport was named the best in the Middle East in the category for airports serving fewer than two million passengers per year, reflecting improvements in service quality and passenger experience.

From Darb Zubaydah and its centuries-old service to pilgrims and travelers, to freight trains and Arar International Airport, the Northern Borders region illustrates the evolution of transport in Saudi Arabia and the accompanying infrastructure development that serves people and strengthens national economic integration.