Saudi's First Ultra-Luxury Train To Begin From Dh30,000 A Night With Broadway In Desert

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Saudi Arabia's first ultra-luxury train, Dream of the Desert, is preparing to welcome passengers in the third quarter of 2027, offering an experience its General Manager describes as nothing short of "theatrical".

"We're not selling a train trip," says Raffaele Breschi, General Manager of Dream of the Desert and CEO of Arsenale International. "We're in the business of a theatrical show. It's going to be an end-to-end curated experience."

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Speaking to Khaleej Times at the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai, Raffaele explained that every detail had been carefully designed. "Everything will be coherent, everything will be designed, and everything will feel like it has to be there," he said. "That's why we say it's an experience; it's not a trip."

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The train will consist of 12 carriages and 34 suites. It will have three itineraries for guests to choose from and can accommodate 72 passengers at a time.

Prices start from approximately Dh30,000 per cabin per night. For those who want to be part of the limited number of suite cabins on the inaugural journeys can reserve their spot on the priority list by paying a fully refundable deposit of approximately Dh2,500

Route through unexplored terrain

The train will travel over 1,000 kilometres north of Riyadh, venturing inland almost to the Jordanian border through some of Saudi's most remote and unexplored terrain. The route will connect four main stops: Al-Qassim, Ha'il, Al-Jouf, and Qurayyat, following infrastructure inherited from Saudi Railways, the project's partner.

"These are places that are largely unexplored, even to Saudis themselves," Raffaele said. "Within 30 to 40 minutes of the stations, there are plenty of jewels that are undiscovered like UNESCO sites, areas that are soon to be UNESCO sites, extinct volcanoes, oases, and farms."

The itinerary includes the Marid Castle in Al-Jouf and the Aja Mountains in Ha'il, which Raffaele describes as resembling Al-Ula but with "a very different energy". Journeys will range from a minimum of two nights to a maximum of five nights, with the five-night option including stops in Al-Ula.

Broadway meets desert

Beyond the landscapes, Dream of the Desert promises immersive entertainment. "We say the experience will be like Broadway meets the desert," Raffaele explained. "We're going to bring really theatrical entertainment to tell the stories of conquerors that went through these lands in the Middle Ages, to tell the stories of myths and lovers. There are plenty of stories in the history of Saudi that will be unfolded."

He was cautious about revealing too much. "I don't want to spoil too much at the moment," he said, hinting that more details about itineraries and experiences will be unveiled as the launch approaches.

He added that the response to the project has been overwhelmingly positive. "Saudis are very excited because we give them an opportunity to visit their own country in a different way - places they have not visited themselves," he noted.

International train enthusiasts who have experienced similar journeys are equally eager, with pre-booking requests already pouring in. "The broader audience is very curious," he said.

Raffaele credits the project's alignment with Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to position the Kingdom as a leading tourism destination. "We're going to be one of the many attractions, the many stops, the many experiences that people will be able to enjoy in the Kingdom, and we hope to contribute to that," he said.

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