Women apply in their thousands to drive trains in Saudi Arabia

Rail company advertised 30 positions and received 28,000 applications in kingdom where women couldn't drive cars until 2018

A job advert to recruit 30 female train drivers in Saudi Arabia has attracted 28,000 applicants, highlighting the scale of pent-up demand as the conservative kingdom loosens some restrictions on women's employment.

The Spanish railway operator Renfe said an online assessment of academic background and English language skills had helped it to reduce the number of candidates by around a half, and it would work through the rest by mid-March.