This study examines the Mecca–Jeddah Railway project (1289–1353 AH/1872–1934 AD) as one of the most prominent transportation ventures linked to serving pilgrims and reviving economic activity in the Hejaz. It aims to trace the project’s historical roots since the Ottoman era and analyze its development in light of political and economic shifts, leading up to the implementation attempts during the reign of King Abdulaziz. The research adopts a historical-analytical approach by analyzing various Ottoman, British, Egyptian, and French documents, as well as the newspapers Umm al-Qura and Sawt al-Hejaz. The study concludes that although the project was technically feasible, it remained hindered by political and economic factors. During the Ottoman era, it faltered due to financial constraints and administrative instability, and was subsequently postponed in favor of the Hejaz Railway. The project later reached the implementation stage but was again obstructed by the opposition of Sharif Hussein bin Ali. His own attempts to revive it between 1340–1341 AH/1921–1922 AD took on a political character but failed due to hesitant British support and overlapping international interests. In the Saudi era, the project was reintroduced at the First Islamic Congress, where King Abdulaziz supported it under national conditions that rejected foreign concessions and relied on Islamic funding. Limited resources, however, led the state to adopt practical alternatives, such as developing the Mecca–Jeddah land route. The period 1352–1353 AH/1933–1934 AD witnessed the final executive attempts following the granting of a concession to the Indian physician Abdul Qadir al-Jilani. Despite initial support, the project did not progress beyond the stage of promises, as British apprehension and funding failures ultimately led to its decline and the cancellation of the concession.
Nouf Rezeg Faris Alrodhan (Thu,) studied this question.