I Took the Middle East’s FIRST High Speed Train - and it SURPRISED Me!

[@ماهرالجهني-خ9و]

I live in Madina and I study in Makkah this train helped me a lot, I was able to visit my family at Madina at the weekends.

[@Titot182]

I just find it absolutely inspiring that high speed rail in the middle to far east is excelling beyond what's currently available in the UK. The station architecture is quite impressive and in keeping too.

[@theexcaliburone5933]

I mean the lack of access to the actual stations by public transit sucks, also the UK does have the highest average speed across the national network in the world so it’s not thaaaat bad

[@OMtheRails]

@@theexcaliburone5933 one thing I did forget to mention was that this is improving - soon the stations will be linked by better transit in the coming years such as the Makkah metro

[@douglaskinloch6272]

A clean sheet of paper is a wonderful thing. Starting from scratch allows the huge advantage of maximising 200 years of learning.

[@456creaper]

Of all things, you starting your video with salaam after having finished you umrah is the one thing I would’ve expected least. Alaikoum salam my friend!

[@OMtheRails]

Walaikum Salaam brother, many thanks for your comments!

[@Hahlen]

I was in the Madrid Railway Museum the other day and several of the exhibits mentioned this line. Evidently the Spanish are quite proud of developing excellent high speed railway technology that they can export and build in other countries. As they should be!

[@OMtheRails]

Indeed, they’ve really done something incredible here!

[@Trainviking]

It’s so great to see a video on this line, I love it. It would be so great to see the railway system of Saudi Arabia more connected, now you have 2 separate systems. Also international lines would be great. What I really have to say is I LOVE the goal for this video, something I really care about (even before the entire thing happened last year). Thanks for another great video.

[@czechmatebro]

A smooth running talgo what is that? Thanks for bringing us this amazing content 🔥

[@OMtheRails]

Anytime, many thanks for the positive comment!

[@ItzHussain]

I didnt know you were muslim wow mashallah. Your videos are amazing, really love the fundraising idea you've done. Much love brother.

[@OMtheRails]

Jazak'Allah Khayr brother, many thanks for your kind words 🙏

[@Lexzim9098]

9:27 Only reason why the ride quality isn't as horrific as other Talgo trains is because this train is still quite new. As time goes on there'll eventually be a lot of wheel flats and way more unsuitable conditions. Also, the ride quality tends to where you sit in the coach, best quality being at the centre of the train rather than much closer to the wheel axles.

[@OMtheRails]

The only thing that's not making me agree with your statement is the newer Talgo Avril, which has appalling ride quality despite some of the Spanish infrastructure I rode it on being as new, if not newer than this

[@edmonddaramy-williams625]

I suspect that it may have to do with thr fact that Avril has gauge changing wheels whereas the Haramian is presumably fixed at 4'8". More complicated especially for suspension. Presume continuously welded track both in Saudia and Spain.

[@aswinkrishna790]

The train and stations look very empty. Are they profitable?

[@sodadrinker89]

I wonder if you ever been to Taiwan, and rode the HSR there?

[@drdewott9154]

Man that is... quite the trip. Im not Islamic, heck not religious at all, and Denmark where I'm from treats religion as something very private. So IDK how Id personally feel about stepping on a train and having to hear religious supplications. Still this is the Saudis country and if thats how they wanna do it, thats their choice. And besides that this looks like a very impressive high speed railway The stations look very impressive though, really neat architecture that looks much nicer than other stations for rail services in the middle east. And the sheer accomplishment of building a line in such a harsh desert is a marvel. Also that architecture in your establishing shots from Mekkah is interesting, like it tries to replicate older western architecture styles. IDK if I'd call it kitsch or decent. Its interesting to see claims of Talgos running so smoothly. DSB here in Denmark have ordered 16 Talgo 230 sets for international services from Denmark into neighbouring countries (mainly the Copenhagen to Hamburg route but also extensions to Amsterdam and Oslo in the future), and they let the public take a look last week. I attended it and the seats on it are on the harder side but hopefully it rides as smoothly as these do. The Danish rail system has been undergoing vast amounts of renovations and upgrades in recent years so I can only hope our Talgo trains will be up to par, even if ours will also only go at 200km/h rather than 300km/h

[@zahrans]

You don't go on a Makkah to Madina route to sightsee either cities or to go camping in the desert. This is a train route where the vast majority of its users will be pilgrims, who will not be bothered if they hear those religious supplications.

[@Jennyeq]

It's getting like that here in England too though - instead of being on the tannoy (yet) it's just all the muslim settlers blaring it on their phones full pelt without headphones and just expecting the poor brits to have to put up with their shite.

[@hassanabdulaziz7275]

@@zahrans Yeah you're right, which is why entertainment is minimal, and only restricted to religious content; The whole "Haramain HS Railway" is a religious service.

[@ZRHTrainspotter]

Amazing Video! I really want to ride this train one day. 😊

[@s11salemhassan]

Thank you for the lovely video ❤

[@samtrak1204]

The stations are breathtaking, but I'm not sure about Talgo trains. I've never read or heard a good review on Talgo ride quality since the technology was introduced back in the USA in 1954.

[@Cepia120]

Great video. But theres one thing I would like to point out Talgo trains DONT have axels A Axel is a phisical bar conecting the wheels the majority of Talgo trains DONT have that there independent wheels that allow less track wear and allowed for the early development of the gauge chaching tecnology and HS.

[@OMtheRails]

Noted, many thanks for explaining!

[@edmonddaramy-williams625]

​@@OMtheRailstbf, note that these are also referred to in some places as 'virtual axles' instead of the terminological correct 'rodales'. of course there is no solid axle connecting the two wheels, but most get what you would say, for practical purposes they are an 'axle' (I.e. opposing pair of wheels)

[@IncognitoTS1]

Great video!

[@srikanthshastry4546]

But seriously, the train looks like it was built yesterday it's maintained so damn well a big lesson for your to learn where brand new trains are covered with graffiti also, I noticed that the toilets are not gender, which is a welcome change. Maybe MBS's Saudi Arabia is actually changing.

[@scaryjoker]

Why would travel vehicle toilets be gendered?

[@paulthiel5145]

I've heard about the specialized royal train in Saudi Arabia before, but have still not been able to find a single image or piece of video footage for. Are we sure it really exists? 🙂

[@ameerali.ouarda]

0:02 big respect 🙌

[@MDJONAS]

Amazing video! May Allah accept your umrah

[@OMtheRails]

Ameen brother, Jazak’Allah Khayr!

[@sadiondiaye8941]

Great Video!

[@OMtheRails]

Many thanks!

[@amymagdaleneta]

What evidence of religious identity do you need to present when booking tickets to Makkah?

[@OMtheRails]

Surprisingly non at all - it's mainly based in person on the way you're dressed etc. When in doubt they can ask you to recite the Shahada (oath of faith so to speak)

[@amymagdaleneta]

@@OMtheRails Thank you, I will here make an oath that I will not bypass the rule to satiate my train nerdiness, not that my autistic heat sensitivity would let me get close anyways.

[@mariadelmarjimenezarroyo]

Excellent video. Spanish High-speed trains are the best trains in the world

[@tarkatan971]

hearing the call to pray was something... Emotional

[@GodAtum]

you sound very similar to the other yotuber

[@michaelhall8586]

Thank you for supporting Gaza

[@OMtheRails]

Forever and always 🇵🇸❤️

[@downonthestour]

Great Video Sir! And props to you for your support for Palestine with the money made on the video!

[@OMtheRails]

Many thanks sir, hope to see you soon after so long!

[@PtrkHrnk]

Great video! Thank you.

[@TransportNut89]

Another awesome video! Makkah does look amazing and the architecture is stunning. Remember seeing on the B1M channel, about the clock tower being constructed.

[@OMtheRails]

Thank you! Yes it really was something, the finished clock tower was incredible too!

[@ijazhussainmbdin4036]

❤❤❤