The CEO of the Saudi Arabian Railways Company (SAR), Dr. Rumaih Al-Rumaih, stated that the Riyadh-Jeddah railway project is scheduled to begin implementation phase in the first quarter of next year according to plan. Dr. Al-Rumaih told the Saudi daily newspaper, Al-Watan, that the 2750 km-long railway track extends from Riyadh to Al-Hudaithah on the Jordanian borders, passes through Sudair, Qasseem, Hayl and Al-Jawf and connects the phosphates\' mines in the northern borders to industrial areas in Ras Al-Khair, Jubail and Dammam and will be implemented in consideration for a total cost of SR 2.3 billion. On the other hand, Dr. Al-Rumaihi dismissed any difficulties or obstructions facing implementation of the North-South railway line and asserted that project\'s progress goes according to plan, and that the line is currently undergoing the phase of stations construction and that trains are in the process of manufacturing and scheduled to be complete and ready within two years by the end of the year 2014.