Al-Hijaz Railway (Al-Masudiyya)- Burqa

The Reason Behind The Name: Relative to the Al Masoud family from the village of Burqa, the owners of the land on which the station was built on

Al-Hijaz Railway (Al-Masudiyya) - Burqa

Burqa station is considered one of the most significant stations along the historic Hejaz Railway, established towards the end of the Ottoman era. The station is situated at the convergence point of the villages of Sebastia, Burqa, and Ramin, serving as a juncture between the cities of Nablus, Jenin, and Tulkarm. From this location, the railway branches eastward towards Nablus and westward towards Tulkarm.

This section of the railway was part of the larger Hejaz Railway network, initiated by the Ottoman government during the reign of Sultan Abdul Hamid II starting in 1908. The primary objective was to connect the Levant region with the holy sites of Medina and Mecca, facilitating the arduous pilgrimage that previously required several months of travel by animal. However, this goal was short-lived, as World War I in 1914 partially destroyed portions of the railway line.

The railway and its tracks were ultimately completed through the strenuous manual labor of the local workforce, toiling under deplorable conditions and utilizing primitive tools, despite the immense engineering challenges involved in constructing bridges and tunnels. The Burqa station itself commenced operations in 1912.

The station building consisted of two floors - the ground level used for warehouses, administrative offices, and a water pool, while the upper floor housed the station manager's quarters, along with two additional rooms to the west and east used for train control and station management.

The station's location holds particular significance as a tourist site, especially the surrounding environmental and cultural trails, due to its proximity to the ancient town of Sebastia. However, the station's development and rehabilitation remain hindered by the ongoing occupation, which prevents any meaningful progress.