THE LINE
A 170-kilometre linear city within NEOM designed to house 9 million people with zero cars, zero streets, and zero carbon emissions.
Definition
THE LINE is a linear urban development within NEOM that extends 170 kilometres across northwest Saudi Arabia, enclosed within two parallel mirrored facades 200 metres wide and 500 metres tall, designed to operate with no cars, no streets, and net-zero carbon emissions.
Overview
First announced in January 2021, THE LINE represents one of the most radical urban design concepts ever proposed at scale. The city is structured as a continuous vertical urban corridor where all essential services — healthcare, education, retail, parks, and recreation — are accessible within a five-minute walk. High-speed transit running beneath the city would allow end-to-end travel in 20 minutes.
The architectural concept features two parallel mirror-clad structures rising 500 metres high, with a width of just 200 metres between the outer facades. The enclosed space between the structures would contain layered urban environments including open-air plazas, gardens, and community spaces, all shielded from the harsh desert climate. The mirrored exterior is designed to reflect the surrounding landscape, minimizing the visual footprint of the structure.
Construction began in earnest in 2023, with initial earthworks and foundation phases progressing in the southern section of the corridor. The project’s full build-out timeline has been the subject of ongoing recalibration, with initial phases focused on creating a functional community core rather than completing the entire 170-kilometre span simultaneously. Reports in 2024 suggested an adjusted near-term target of completing approximately 2.4 kilometres of the structure by 2030.
Key Facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Announced | January 2021 |
| Length | 170 km |
| Height | 500 m |
| Width | 200 m |
| Population Capacity | 9 million |
| Carbon Target | Net-zero emissions |
| Transit | High-speed rail (end-to-end in 20 min) |
| Surface Area | ~34 km² (vertical) |
| Parent Project | NEOM |
Role in Vision 2030
THE LINE embodies Vision 2030’s aspiration to position Saudi Arabia at the forefront of urban innovation and sustainability. The project is designed to demonstrate that future cities can prioritize human wellbeing and environmental protection without sacrificing economic dynamism. If realized at scale, it would create a new model for urban development that eliminates car dependency, reduces infrastructure costs, and preserves 95 percent of the surrounding natural environment.
The project is also central to NEOM’s economic model, providing the residential and commercial density needed to generate the economic activity and tax base that will sustain the broader economic zone. THE LINE’s progress is closely watched as a barometer of Vision 2030’s ability to deliver on its most ambitious commitments.