Riyadh Metro

Riyadh Metro
KAFD Station
Overview
Native name	قطار الرياض
Owner	The Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC)
Locale	Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Transit type	Rapid Transit
Number of lines	6
Line number	1   2   3   4   5   6
Number of stations	85
Website	rpt.sa/en/
Operation
Began operation	1 December 2024; 0 days ago (2024-12-01)
Character	Elevated & Underground
Number of vehicles	586 cars
Train length	2–4 coaches
Headway	3 to 7 minutes
Technical
System length	176 km (109 mi)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge

The Riyadh Metro (Arabic: قطار الرياض Qiṭār Ar-riyāḍ, pronounced [gɪˈtˤaːr ərːɪˈjaːðˤ]) is a rapid transit system in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Partially opened in December 2024, it is part of the King Abdulaziz Project for Riyadh Public Transport.

It will consist of six metro lines spanning a total length of 176 kilometres (109 mi), with 85 stations.^{[1][better source needed]} The project will cost $22.5 billion to build.^[2] Lines 1, 4 and 6 are expected to open on December 1, 2024; lines 2 and 5 are expected to open on December 15, 2024; line 3 is expected to open January 5, 2025.^[3]

This is the second metro system in Saudi Arabia, after the Al Mashaaer Al Mugaddassah Metro line for Hajj pilgrims in Mecca, which opened in November 2010, fourth on the Arabian Peninsula, sixth in the Arab World, and fifteenth in the Middle East.

In June 2013, a shortlist of three major global consortia was chosen to build the metro.^[4] Contracts were awarded in July 2013, with construction planned to start in 2014 and take 4 years.^[5] The groundbreaking ceremony was celebrated on April 4, 2014.^[6] It is currently being built by construction companies including Bechtel, Almabani General Contractors, Consolidated Contractors Company, Strukton, Webuild, Larsen & Toubro, Samsung C&T, and Nesma.^[7]

BACS: Bechtel / Almabani / CCC / Siemens

ANM: (Arriyadh New Mobility): Webuild (at the time of signature, Impregilo, then Salini-Impregilo) / Bombardier / Ansaldo / Larsen & Toubro / Nesma & Partners / WorleyParsons

FAST: FCC / Atkins / Alstom / Samsung C&T / Strukton / TYPSA (Tecnica Y Proyectos)

The new project is expected to be the centerpiece of the city's public transport system, integrated with an 85-kilometre (53 mi) three-line bus rapid transit (BRT) network.^[8] The project will contribute to reducing the number of car trips by nearly 250 thousand trips a day, equivalent to 400 thousand liters of fuel per day, thus reducing the air pollutant emissions in the city. It is expected that the capacity of the project will reach 3.6 million passengers a day.^[9]

In February 2018, Riyadh governor, Prince Faisal bin Bandar, stated that 68% of the project has been finished and that the metro will go Demo Run in late September 2018.^[10] In March 2018, the Saudi economy minister Mohammad Al Tuwaijri commented at the Saudi-UK CIO Forum in London that a soft opening is planned for 2019 (June–August) and the full availability of the system is expected in 2021.^[11] In December 2021, it was announced that more than 90% of the project had been completed, with testing well underway.^[12]

In March 2023, opening was planned for late 2023.^[13]

The opening of the metro system – featuring lines 1, 4, and 6 – is expected to occur on 1 December 2024. Lines 2 and 5 are expected to open two weeks later on 15 December with the final line – line 3 – opening on 5 January, 2025.^[14]

In 2017, prince Turki bin Abdullah Al Saud was arrested as part of the 2017 Saudi Arabian purge. Part of the allegations against him, was that he, as Riyadh Governor, had awarded contracts for the Riyadh Metro to his own companies.^[15]

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Riyadh Metro includes six lines, each of which is assigned a unique color. The following table provides information about the Riyadh Metro Lines:

Line Code	Line Name	Line Length	No. of stations	Interchange/Transfer stations	Notes
1	Blue Line	38 km (24 mi)	24 stations	4 stations	The blue line runs in a north–south direction along Olaya and Batha Streets, starting just north of King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz Street and ending at Dar AlBaida Sports Ground in the south, terminating at the South Depot/Workshop for Line 1. The metro will primarily travel underground in a tunnel along Olaya and King Faisal Streets, while it will be elevated on a viaduct along Batha Street and at the northern and southern ends of the route.
2	Red Line	25.3 km (15.7 mi)	14 stations	3 stations	The red line runs east-west along King Abdullah Road, between King Saud University and the eastern sub-center. It primarily travels on an elevated strip in the median of a planned freeway.
3	Orange Line	40.7 km (25.3 mi)	21 stations	2 stations	The orange line runs east-west along Al-Madinah Al Munawwarah and Prince Saad Bin Abdulrahman Al Awal Roads, starting in the west near Jeddah Expressway and ending in the east near the National Guard camp of Khashm El Aan. It will be mostly elevated along the western part of Al-Madinah Al Munawwarah Road, then underground in tunnels in the central section, and generally at grade along Prince Saad Bin Abdulrahman Road.
4	Yellow Line	29.6 km (18.4 mi)	9 stations (3 common with Line 6)	4 stations	The gold line runs from King Khaled International Airport to the new King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD).
5	Green Line	12.9 km (8.0 mi)	11 stations	2 stations	The green line runs underground in a tunnel along King Abdulaziz Street, between King Abdul Aziz Historical Centre and Riyadh Airbase, before connecting with King Abdullah Road.
6	Purple Line	29.9 km (18.6 mi)	9 stations (3 common with Line 4)	3 stations	The purple line runs in a half-ring from King Abdullah Financial District, passing Imam Mohamed Bin Saud University, and ending at Prince Saad Ibn Abdulrahman Al Awal Road. It is mostly elevated except along Sheikh Hasan Bin Husein Bin Ali Street.

The project was originally led by Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz Al Saud,^[8] former governor of Riyadh and chairman of the Riyadh Development Authority, and is now led by Faisal bin Bandar Al Saud, the current governor of Riyadh.

The transit system is planned to have 85 train stations,^[16] including a number of interchange stations. Naming rights for 15 out of the 85 stations are planned to be awarded by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City. These rights include space for shops and advertising within the stations.^[17]

The vehicles and stations are monitored by cameras, early warning systems, and communication systems that are directly connected to the main control center. The main stations are characterized by monorail sites designed in several levels. These sites will be air-conditioned taking into account the comfort and safety of passengers. The stations will also use solar cells technology to save about 20% of the power required for air-conditioning and lightning.^[18]

The KAFD station covers an area of 8,150 m² (87,700 sq ft). The station is located at the east of the Northern Ring Road. It connects metro lines 1, 4, 6, and the KAFD's monorail. The station is designed by Zaha Hadid Architects from the UK.^[18]

National Museum Station is the 2nd largest and one of the most iconic stations on the Riyadh Metro, 1 of 4 Transfer stations on Line 1, National Museum Station is where Line 1 and Line 5 meet. The station is located in the Al Batha area of Riyadh. The gross floor area (GFA) of the station itself is about 72'000 m². The Station's external envelope is designed to replicate Saudi Arabia' mountainous region, with a unique double skin facade, internal blue panels replicating the sky and external concrete panels through which the blue can be seen, to represent the mountains, the station is unique in that it also has a new bus terminal adjacent, the design of which is to replicate a Bedouin tent.^{[citation needed]}

Olaya metro station is one of the three main transportation stations in the Riyadh Metro. Gerber Architekten won the competition for the metro station in 2012. Construction started in 2014 and planned to be completed in 2019. This station will allow access for Line 1 and Line 2 trains. The gross floor area (GFA) is about 97,000 m² (1,040,000 sq ft). It is located on the intersection of King Abdullah Road with King Fahad Road and Olaya Street. Its design proposes the idea of Public gardens that extend over the entire area of the station. Metro customers are invited to use the public gardens. The gardens are characterized by palm trees erected on top of the station, designated picnic areas, and WiFi coverage. Stairs, lifts, and escalators connect all the levels allowing access to everyone including people with special needs. There is also a public parking located underneath the plaza. Recently the initial plan has been changed and no longer features gardens of the roof and is now rectangular in shape though it still has all the other features. In 2018, the station was named STC station after the Saudi Telecom Company.^[19]

The station covers an area of 12,500 m² (135,000 sq ft). The station is located on the land currently used for the Central Vegetable Market of Al-Suwaidi Al-Gharbi. The station will be composed of a bus route and a link to Line 3. Omrania & Associates has won the competition to design the western metro station.^[18][20]

This station covers an area of 19,600 m² (211,000 sq ft) and will connect Line 1 and Line 3 trains. Snøhetta from Norway had won the competition to design the Qasr Al-Hukm Metro Station.^[18]

• Siemens is supplying 45 4-car Inspiro trainsets for Line 1 and 29 2-car sets for Line 2.^[21] The first was unveiled in Vienna on 23 February 2016.^[21]
• Bombardier (later Alstom) will deliver 47 two-car Innovia Metro 300 trainsets for Line 3.^[22]
• Alstom will deliver 69 Metropolis train sets for line 4, 5 and 6 of the Riyadh Metro.^[23][24] The first trainset was handed over to the ADA in March 2017. Each trainset is 36 meters long and can accommodate a maximum of 231 passengers. Trains are split into three classes – first, family, and single class – separated by glass partitions.^[16]

Line Code	Line Name	Consortium[25]	Formation & Number built	EMU/Fleet	Manufacturers
1	Blue Line	BACS	45 four-car trainsets (180 cars)	Inspiro	Siemens
2	Red Line		29 two-car trainsets (58 cars)
3	Orange Line	ANM	47 two-car trainsets (94 cars)	Innovia Metro 300	Bombardier/Alstom
4	Yellow Line	FAST	69 two-car trainsets (138 cars)	Metropolis	Alstom
5	Green Line
6	Purple Line

• Riyadh Bus
• Transport in Saudi Arabia
• Jeddah Metro
• Madinah Metro
• Makkah Metro
• Haramain High Speed Rail Project

• Riyadh Metro page on the Royal Commission for Riyadh City Website