Skip to main content

Riyadh aims to build world’s biggest public transport system in five years

The City of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, is building the world's largest public transit system --- in just five years. It will be presenting the project at the Palais des Congrès, in Montreal, Quebec, during the global summit of the Union Internationale des Transports Publics (UITP), this week. Managed by The High Commission for the Development of Arriyadh (HCDA), the project includes six metro lines covering 176 km and 85 stations, in addition to 24 bus routes covering 1,900 km and 3,000 stations and stops. At a
May 15, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
The City of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, is building the world's largest public transit system --- in just five years. It will be presenting the project at the Palais des Congrès, in Montreal, Quebec, during the global summit of the Union Internationale des Transports Publics (UITP), this week.


Managed by The High Commission for the Development of Arriyadh (HCDA), the project includes six metro lines covering 176 km and 85 stations, in addition to 24 bus routes covering 1,900 km and 3,000 stations and stops. At a total cost of US$27 billion, it is Saudi Arabia's first public transportation network and the largest infrastructure project worldwide.

Riyadh's population of 6.5 million today is expected to reach 8.3 million by 2030. Its streets currently handle 9 million car trips daily, increasing the need for a public transit network.

For its rolling stock, HCDA commissioned three different global manufacturers: 189 Siemens, 513 Bombardier and 8158 Alstom.  1685 Mercedes Benz and 267 MAN will provide its fleet of buses.

Construction of the project will finish at the end of 2018. Testing of the service will start simultaneously in the last quarter of the same year, with the objective to begin service to the public in the second half of 2019.

Related Content

  • March 4, 2025
    Manchester extends Metrolink tap and go to trams and buses
    UK city will soon have integrated payment in same way as capital London
  • January 26, 2012
    Vancouver's metro transport promotes alternatives to driving
    David Crawford looks at Vancouver and the legacy of a Olympic transport success
  • April 8, 2015
    Thales to implement signalling systems for Taiwan light rail
    The New Taipei City government has awarded Thales a US$18.5 million contract for the design and manufacture of signalling, communications and operational control centre (OCC) systems for the Danhai Light Rail Transit project, Taiwan’s second tramway line and one of the first tramway projects in Asia Pacific. Local Taiwan company China Steel, along with its subsidiaries United Steel Engineering and Construction and Taiwan Rolling Stock, will construct the project’s Phase 1 Corridors, including the Green M
  • June 20, 2014
    EU public transport use at highest level since 2000
    Public transport usage in the European Union is at its highest level since 2000, with almost 57 billion journeys made throughout the EU in 2012 according to a new study carried out by the International Association of Public Transport (UITP). UITP’s first annual publication tracking and analysing public transport demand trends in the EU member states studied the pace of growth in public transport journeys since 2000, reflecting fluctuations in the economic situation, the growth in urban population and emerg