It is simply impressive: A complete network of six full-size metro lines of together 176 km length and 85 stops will start revenue service between 1 December 2024 and 5 January 2025!
H. M. King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud officially inaugurated the new metro system in Riyadh, the capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on 27 November 2024. The first three lines 1, 4, and 6 start public service on 1 December, two weeks later, on 15 December followed by lines 2 and 5, and finally line 3 on 5 January 2025.
Six lines
The Riyadh Metro network includes the following six lines:
1- Blue Line: SAB – Ad Dar Al Baida (36.7 km)
2- Red Line: King Saud University – King Fahad stadium (24.2 km)
3- Orange Line: Khashm Al An Jeddah Road (24.2 km)
4- Yellow Line: King Khalid International Airport – King Abdullah Financial District (29.1 km, thereof 9 km shared track with line 6)
5- Green Line: National Museum – Ministry of education (12.6 km)
6- Purple Line: King Abdullah Financial District – An Naseem (28.9 km thereof 9 km shared track with line 4)
This is a total of 171 km (incl. 9 km of shared track of lines 4 and 6) plus 5 km depot and workshop access.
A network scheme is available here:
https://www.urbanrail.net/as/riyadh/riyadh.htm
The fleet
The Metro has 183 fully automated trains from different suppliers, but all featuring a very similar, uniformed design:
- Siemens Mobility: 41 four-section and 26 two- section Inspiro trainsets – for lines 1 & 2
- Alstom (as legal successor of Bombardier Transportation): 47 two-section Inovia 300 trainsets for line 3
- Alstom: 69 two-section Metropolis trainsets are for lines 4, 5, and 6
Both Alstom and Siemens Mobility have signed long-term maintenance agreements for its respective fleets.
Constructing the lines
The Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC) had commissioned the entire project to three different construction consortia.
Siemens Mobility is part of the “BACS” consortium composed by Bechtel, Almabani General Contractors, Consolidated Contractors Company, and Siemens Mobility which built lines 1 and 2.
The “ArRiyadh New Mobility” consortium for line 3 is composed by Hitachi (ex Ansaldo STS), Alstom (ex Bombardier Transportation, WEBUILD Salini-Impregilo, Larsen & Toubro, and Nesma.
The “FAST consortium” built lines 4, 5, and 6 – members are the Spanish FCC group, Samsung C & T (South Korea), Alstom (France), Strukton (Netherlands), Freyssinet (Saudi Arabia), Atkins (United Kingdom), Typsa (Spain) and Setec (France).
All new trains run fully automated and driverless, using CBTC technology. All stops are equipped with platform doors. Approximately 40% of the new metro lines – including the entire line 5 – are underground with the remainder at grade with elevated sections and bridges.
The operation
Two different 12-years operation contracts were signed, with the Italian state-owned operator FS, Alstom and Hitachi (ex Ansaldo STS) for lines 3 to 6, and the RATP Dev and Saudi Public Transport Corp. for lines 1 and 2. With a maximum capacity of 3.6 million daily passengers, the Riyadh Metro network is expected to significantly reduce reliance on private vehicles and greenhouse gas emissions. The network is a key part of the Riyadh Public Transport (RPT) initiative, launched by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC) to provide integrated public transport solutions.
In addition to the new metro, Riyadh will get a fully automated, 3.6 km long monorail line within King Abdullah Financial District area. Contracts have just recently been signed with Chinese CRRC group and Hassan Allam Construction.
