This could be the future of travel in the Gulf
German tech giant Siemens has unveiled a concept for a high-speed capacity intercity train, tailored for the GCC region.
The Hesan Alkhaleej or ‘Horse of the Gulf’ concept has been developed to offer a comfortable, reliable and efficient alternative to road and air travel, the company said in a statement.
The concept integrates special features designed for the Gulf. This includes its ability to withstand temperatures up to 55 degrees Celsius as well as special sand-filtering technologies.
In order to ensure passenger safety while travelling the trains will also offer multiple redundancies to ensure air conditioning and power supplies continue to run even where there are failures.
“The Hesan Alkhaleej is a premium intercity train; our vision of a real alternative to road and air travel in the Gulf region,” said Joerg Scheifler, senior executive vice president, Mobility, Siemens Middle East.
“Mobility between cities is a key driver of economic stimulus, and while there are already a number of modern city transit systems in the region, we see the need arising for fast, safe, luxurious and efficient intercity services to link these together.
“We have been in the rail business for more than 160 years and we draw on this global experience to combine proven technology with local knowledge, in order to develop solutions that are tailor-made for the region.”
Scheifler added: “Rail networks on the Arabian Peninsula are chiefly built around freight operations, but we also recognize the needs of growing populations and an increasingly diverse economic landscape.
“It is key to the efficient use of investment and infrastructure that passenger and freight services can be combined in a mixed-use solution, integrated with what’s already in place and achieve the speed, luxury and convenience levels required to compete with air and road travel.”
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