When You Could Travel To The 105-Mile-Long City In Saudi Arabia

The 105-mile-long city is a giga project by Saudi Arabia’s government aimed at reshaping the northwest kingdom. This project is expected to run fully on renewable energy and incorporate a futuristic design.

The city will have an open interior enclosed on both sides by a mirrored façade. From the Red Sea, it will stretch eastwards across the desert into the mountain range giving visitors a spectacular view. If this is on your bucket list, you might have to wait a bit longer since it is expected to be complete by 2030

What You Need to Know about the Monolithic City

• The city will be 200 meters wide and will be raised 500 meters about sea level
• There are no roads; hence, cars are not allowed
• There will be a high-speed rail to carry people from end to end within 20 minutes. You can also opt to walk along the pathway
• It is estimated to cost billions of dollars to complete

The Line architecture aims to challenge traditional flat, horizontal cities by creating a futuristic model that helps preserve and enhance human liveability. It also provides an alternative way to today’s urban life.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced the project launch in January 2021 and since then, there has been significant progress. The installation of the linear city’s three layers is almost complete. The three layers will include a surface region for pedestrians and two subterranean layers for transport and infrastructure. Taking of infrastructure, below is an outline of amenities that will be in the city.

Entertainment

Resort destinations and gaming are among the top entertainment options in Saudi Arabia. Other entertainment sectors include religious tourism, cultural heritage sites, and sports venues. In terms of gaming, the country has around 23.5 million gaming and casino enthusiasts, which accounts for 67% of the country’s population.

The number of casino players has also increased significantly over the years. Thanks to the many online gambling sites that accept players from the gulf region, including Saudi Arabia. Notably, when looking for an Arab live casino be sure to check that they are licensed by recognized gambling Authorities. These include the Malta Gaming Authority, Curacao eGaming, and UK Gambling Commission.

Hotels and Restaurants

True to character, Saudi Arabia is known for their world-class hotels and top-tier hospitality. As such, you can expect to find high-end hotels in the city serving authentic foods and drinks. Moreover, renowned luxury hotels will also be available if you ever need accommodation while visiting The Line. Since the city is expected to host around 1.5 million people, there will be plenty of social amenities within a five-minute walk.

Shopping Malls

Saudi Arabia has always been a recommended destination for shoppers. The prices of most luxury products, including jewellery, clothing, and perfumes, tend to be lower. Hence, exploring the various malls should be part of your to-do list when touring The Line.

Is the Futuristic City Really Sustainable?

The Megacity is definitely not the first of a kind since the idea of solving urban problems by developing new cities from scratch has been tried before. Masdar City in Abu Dhabi and Putrajaya in Malaysia are some of the cities developed with sustainability in mind. According to Carlos Felipe Pardo, a senior adviser to the New Urban Mobility Alliance, the aim to start an urban city from scratch does not always solve the problem.

Pardo believes that despite starting on a clean slate, such elaborate urban plans often create new urban problems. For example, the high-tech designs do not account for people’s desire to go outside and experience nature.

Notably, The Line project promises zero emissions and smaller footprints which is a step in the right direction. However, some critics have pointed called out these utopian ideals, which often come at an environmental price.