9 April 2021
Saudi Rail 2021, the most important railway trade fair in Saudi Arabia, was held on 5 April. Because of the serious health situation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the event was held virtually.
Thanks to the strong interest in developing transport in the Kingdom and in the entire Middle East, and the significant attendance of leading companies from the sector, the FS Italiane Group took part in the event with its own virtual stand and by participating in the panel session at the opening.
The stand run by the FS Group presented and promoted its companies which are working in the region: FS Italian Railways Saudi Arabia, FS International, Italferr and Italcertifer.
A large number of people accessed the event, which confirms the interest of the main players in the market in the work and specialist skills of the FS Group.
The part played by FS Italian Railways Saudi Arabia as part of the “Digitalising smart infrastructure and evolving existing systems” panel was also particularly well received, and registered over two thousand connected users. It launched a constructive debate on digital issues together with representatives from SAPTCO (KSA), Knowledge Economic City Co (KSA) and the Centre for Urban Transport Research (Russia). The Panel highlighted the key role played by railway operators, as the main promoter of the digitalisation process, and of the improvement in passenger experience thanks to advanced concepts and technologies such as IoT, AI, 5G and Blockchain. In particular the issue of the single ticket was discussed, with the mention of the nugo app, and smart navigation through the help of robots and virtual assistants. Saudi Rail 2021 was a new chance to strengthen the excellent positioning of the FS Group in the railway market in the Middle East, increasing its relationship network and encouraging a constructive relationship with the main operators in the sector.