Trojena is NEOM’s planned mountain tourism destination, high in the Sarawat range of Tabuk province, designed around a year round outdoor lifestyle that includes Saudi Arabia’s first purpose built ski and winter sports offering. It is one of the most ambitious and closely watched components of the wider NEOM giga project, and it remains, as of mid 2026, very much a destination in development rather than a fully open resort. This guide sets out what is actually confirmed, what has changed recently, and how to think about transport if your travel plans bring you into the NEOM mountain region.
Few components of Saudi Arabia’s giga project programme have attracted as much international curiosity as the idea of a ski resort in the Arabian Peninsula. That curiosity is well founded, Trojena’s elevation genuinely does bring winter temperatures cold enough to sustain artificial snow, a real rarity for this part of the world, and the project has been promoted heavily as a symbol of how far the country’s tourism ambitions extend. Separating that promotional narrative from the current, verifiable state of construction is essential for anyone actually planning travel around it.
What Trojena is meant to be
Trojena’s masterplan describes a mountain destination built around its elevation and temperature contrast with the rest of the Arabian Peninsula, with outdoor adventure sports, a nature reserve, an alpine style village and, most distinctively, an outdoor ski village intended to bring skiing to the region for the first time. NEOM has promoted Trojena as a year round destination, with winter sports positioned alongside hiking, climbing and other mountain activities for the warmer months.
An important update: the 2029 Asian Winter Games
In 2022, NEOM was awarded the right to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games at Trojena, a milestone that was intended to showcase the destination on the international stage. However, in January 2026 Saudi Arabia postponed its hosting of the Games, and in February 2026 the Olympic Council of Asia confirmed Almaty, Kazakhstan as the new host city, following delays affecting the wider Trojena construction programme. This is a meaningful, publicly reported change to the project’s timeline, and visitors should treat any claims about Trojena’s completion date, or about specific facilities being open, with caution until confirmed by NEOM’s own official channels closer to your travel dates.
What this means for visitors today
With the flagship international sporting event no longer scheduled at Trojena, the destination’s public facing timeline for a full opening is less certain than it appeared in earlier announcements. That does not mean the wider NEOM mountain region is closed to visitors, but it does mean travellers should not assume Trojena’s ski village, hotels or other headline attractions are operational without checking first. If your trip involves the broader NEOM area for business, construction related work, or to see other NEOM developments along the Red Sea coast, that is a separate and generally more established journey than a specific Trojena leisure visit.
Prospective visitors planning a dedicated Trojena leisure trip should check NEOM’s official announcements and Visit Saudi directly before booking, since opening dates for individual components of the destination have moved before and may move again.
Reaching the NEOM mountain region
By air
NEOM Bay Airport, on the Red Sea coast, is the primary gateway for the wider NEOM area, with Tabuk’s regional airport serving as an alternative entry point further inland, closer to the Trojena mountain area itself. Which airport makes sense depends on where in the NEOM region your specific destination sits, so it is worth confirming this with your accommodation or employer before booking flights.
By road
The mountain roads leading up into the Trojena area involve a real change in elevation and terrain compared with the coastal NEOM developments, and conditions can vary with weather. A professional driver familiar with the route is a sensible choice for this leg, particularly for visitors unfamiliar with mountain driving conditions in the region.
Planning tips for a NEOM mountain trip
- Confirm what is actually open before you travel. Given the scale of the project and its recently adjusted timeline, do not assume any specific Trojena facility is operational without checking an official source.
- Choose your arrival airport carefully. NEOM Bay Airport and Tabuk’s airport serve different parts of the region, and the right choice depends on your final destination within NEOM.
- Book your onward transfer in advance. The NEOM region covers a large area with limited casual transport options, so arranging a pre booked vehicle for the airport to destination leg avoids delays.
- Pack for temperature contrast. Trojena’s elevation means noticeably cooler conditions than the Red Sea coast or Tabuk city, particularly overnight.
Setting realistic expectations
Large infrastructure projects on this scale rarely proceed on a straight line timeline, and Trojena is no exception. The 2029 Asian Winter Games relocation is a useful, publicly confirmed data point for how to think about the project generally: an internationally significant milestone, awarded years in advance, was ultimately moved due to construction realities. That is a normal part of how giga projects of this size develop, and it does not necessarily mean the underlying destination will not eventually open as envisioned. It does mean travellers planning a specific leisure trip around Trojena’s ski village or other headline attractions should build in flexibility, and avoid booking non refundable travel around assumed opening dates that have not been confirmed directly by NEOM.
For business travellers, contractors and anyone with a confirmed reason to be in the wider NEOM region, this uncertainty matters less, since that travel is typically tied to specific project sites and schedules communicated directly by an employer or client, rather than public tourism announcements.
Frequently asked questions
Is Trojena open to visitors now?
Parts of the wider NEOM region are active for business and construction related travel, but Trojena’s headline leisure attractions, including its ski village, should not be assumed to be open without checking NEOM’s official channels for current status, particularly following the 2029 Asian Winter Games relocation to Almaty.
Why was the Asian Winter Games moved?
Saudi Arabia postponed its hosting of the 2029 Asian Winter Games at Trojena in January 2026, and the Olympic Council of Asia subsequently confirmed Almaty as the new host, citing delays in the venue’s construction timeline.
Which airport should I fly into for NEOM?
NEOM Bay Airport serves the coastal NEOM developments, while Tabuk’s regional airport is a practical alternative for the mountain areas further inland, including access towards Trojena. Confirm the best option with your accommodation or host before booking.
Booking transport into the NEOM region
Saudi Cab Co arranges fixed price, professionally driven transfers from both NEOM Bay Airport and Tabuk to destinations across the wider NEOM region, including the mountain roads leading towards Trojena. Given the distances and the still developing infrastructure across the area, a pre booked, flight tracked transfer remains the most reliable way to plan a NEOM mountain trip today.
Related guides
- Tabuk to NEOM: A Transport Guide
- NEOM and Tabuk: A Transport Guide for Visitors
- Red Sea International Airport Transfer: Your Guide to Reaching the Red Sea and AMAALA
Checked sources
- Visit Saudi, visitsaudi.com
- Saudi Tourism Authority, sta.gov.sa
- GACA, gaca.gov.sa
- Olympic Council of Asia announcement on the 2029 Asian Winter Games host relocation, February 2026