Tabuk Station in Hejaz Railway

Evidence of a Unique Islamic Success

Spanning across both distance and time, the Hejaz Railway was established at the beginning of the twentieth century to connect Damascus and Madina in a journey that took no more than five days, compared to the previous 45 days that were required, which involved crossing barren deserts and rugged terrain.

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Hejaz Railway Project

Work on the construction of the Hejaz Railway began in 1900 and took 8 years to complete. The project faced obstacles due to the difficulty and diversity of the terrain, and many bridges were built along its path, including the longest one in Saudi Arabia, which extends over Wadi Al-Akhdar. Additionally, a tunnel was dug in one of the mountains in the Al-Akhdar region.

The part of the railway that extends within the borders of Saudi Arabia begins at Halat Ammar in the north and extends south to end in Madina, passing through 23 stations, each about 20 kilometers apart, including rest houses, supply, maintenance, and guard locations. The initial goal was for the project to pass through Makka and Madina and then extend along the Red Sea coast until it reached Yemen. However, the railway stopped at Madina to become its final station, and the first train arrived there on August 22, 1908.

During its period of service, the railway represented a significant leap in the number of pilgrims transported, as their number reached 300,000 in 1914. However, the outbreak of World War I in the same year caused extensive damage to large parts of the railway and subsequently led to its suspension.

About Tabuk Station

Tabuk Station is considered one of the main stations of the railway, and is the third largest in terms of area, after the stations of Madinah and AlUla. The station contains about 13 buildings that were built to provide comfort for the travelling pilgrims, including a hospital, a rest house, and a quarantine station. Later, the station was transformed into a museum that showcases the most important tools used to operate the station at that time.

The Extension of the Railway to Tabuk Station

On September 1, 1906, the arrival of the railway in Tabuk was a momentous occasion that remains etched in the memory of the place. A ceremony was held to mark the occasion, attended by merchants, tribal leaders, and dignitaries. They performed the dawn prayer at the Prophet's Mosque, or what is now known as Al Tawba Mosque, and then began to celebrate this event that changed the landscape and brought distances closer.