Saudi Arabia has dramatically scaled back The Line project from 170km housing 9 million people to just 2.4km housing 300,000 by 2030 - a 98.6% reduction from original plans

The transportation system promising 20-minute end-to-end travel would require impossible speeds of 510-1,700 km/h with extreme G-forces, relying on non-existent hyperloop technology

Actual construction costs could reach $9-100 trillion based on comparable building costs, versus the claimed $200-500 billion budget, making the project financially unfeasible

The project relies heavily on technologies that don't yet exist including flying cars, human genome editing, robot maids, and holographic teachers, while promising zero carbon impact despite generating an estimated 1.8 gigatons of CO2 during construction

The project relies heavily on technologies that don't yet exist including flying cars, human genome editing, robot maids, and holographic teachers, while promising zero carbon impact despite generating an estimated 1.8 gigatons of CO2 during construction

The Line would create the world's densest city at 686,000 people per square mile (6x denser than Manila) in an inhospitable desert location with no natural water sources, requiring massive desalination and energy infrastructure

The Line would create the world's densest city at 686,000 people per square mile (6x denser than Manila) in an inhospitable desert location with no natural water sources, requiring massive desalination and energy infrastructure

Neom - The Line - The Rise and Fall of Saudi Arabia's Linear City.

Name: Neom - The Line - The Rise and Fall of Saudi Arabia's Linear City.
Uploaded: 2026-02-04T09:16:33.160910
Duration: 32 min 54 s
Description: This video examines Saudi Arabia's ambitious Neom project, specifically "The Line" - a proposed 170km linear city in the desert. Patrick Boyle discusses the recent scaling back of the project from housing 9 million people to just 300,000 by 2030, representing a 98.6% reduction. The video critically

By Patrick Boyle

Watch on YouTube (32:54)

Overview

This video examines Saudi Arabia's ambitious Neom project, specifically "The Line" - a proposed 170km linear city in the desert. Patrick Boyle discusses the recent scaling back of the project from housing 9 million people to just 300,000 by 2030, representing a 98.6% reduction. The video critically analyzes the project's feasibility, astronomical costs, technological challenges, and the broader implications for Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 economic diversification plan.

Key Takeaways

Saudi Arabia has dramatically scaled back The Line project from 170km housing 9 million people to just 2.4km housing 300,000 by 2030 - a 98.6% reduction from original plans
The transportation system promising 20-minute end-to-end travel would require impossible speeds of 510-1,700 km/h with extreme G-forces, relying on non-existent hyperloop technology
Actual construction costs could reach $9-100 trillion based on comparable building costs, versus the claimed $200-500 billion budget, making the project financially unfeasible
The project relies heavily on technologies that don't yet exist including flying cars, human genome editing, robot maids, and holographic teachers, while promising zero carbon impact despite generating an estimated 1.8 gigatons of CO2 during construction
The Line would create the world's densest city at 686,000 people per square mile (6x denser than Manila) in an inhospitable desert location with no natural water sources, requiring massive desalination and energy infrastructure