More than 28,000 women in Saudi Arabia have applied for 30 open positions to become train drivers for the Spanish railway company, Renfe.
It is the first time in Saudi Arabia’s history that women have had access to the profession, the company said in a statement on Thursday.
The massive response underlines the major transformation of women in the Saudi workforce in a short span of time.
It was only in 2018 that women in the deeply conservative kingdom were allowed to drive alone.
The 30 female applicants selected will drive high-speed trains between the Saudi holy cities of Mecca and Medina.
The line was built by Spanish companies and Renfe is also involved in running the service, which started in 2018.
A year of paid training awaits the women who successfully pass the selection process, Renfe said in a statement earlier on Wednesday.
Spanish Transport Minister Raquel Sánchez congratulated Renfe on the transfer of knowledge and the important “step towards more equal rights’’ for women.