Culture & Design

Saudi Crown Prince Plans Car-Free City for Future Beyond Oil

‘The Line’ development planned as part of Neom mega-project
Aim is to diversify economy of world’s biggest crude exporter

Mohammed bin Salman
Photographer: Luke MacGregor/Bloomberg

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By Vivian Nereim

January 10, 2021 at 6:56 PM UTC

Updated on

January 11, 2021 at 12:45 PM UTC

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Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced his latest plan for Saudi Arabia’s future beyond oil: a linear city with no cars, roads or carbon emissions.

The 170 kilometer-long (106 miles) development called “The Line” will be part of the $500 billion Neom project, the crown prince said in a televised speech on Sunday. Construction is planned to start in the first quarter.