Moses Bridge to connect Saudi Arabia

What’s the point of a mega-project if it’s hard to reach? That’s the question driving planners behind Saudi Arabia’s Neom vision. In response, they’re launching an ambitious infrastructure initiative designed to directly link Egypt to the futuristic city.

The «Moses Bridge»—named after the biblical story of the parted sea—is intended to span the Red Sea and one of its narrowest points, the Strait of Tiran. The aim is to establish a direct link between the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh and Ras Hamid—the western gateway to The Line, the futuristic city at the heart of Saudi Arabia’s Neom project.

Faster routes for tourists and pilgrims

According to «Futurezone» the idea isn't new: A bridge was already being considered in 1988, but political tensions put the project on hold. It was revived in 2016, and now Egyptian Transport Minister Kamel al-Wazir has announced that the plans are ready and could be implemented at any time. Whether the link will ultimately be a bridge or a tunnel remains to be seen.

The structure is expected to be between 14 and 24 kilometers long, depending on the exact route. While not record-breaking, the project would still be massive—with an estimated cost of four billion US dollars (around 3.3 billion Swiss francs), fully funded by Saudi Arabia. This is no surprise, given that the Kingdom has the greatest interest: The bridge would significantly facilitate access to the city of the future, especially for visitors from Africa and pilgrims on their way to Mecca.

The current alternative is ferries, but they are slow. Furthermore, increasing passenger traffic could disrupt the already vital maritime trade. With the bridge, over an additional million people would travel by land each year. Whether trains will also run is still unclear. The revenue from tolls, according to forecasts, could recoup the construction costs within ten years.