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King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud inaugurated the Riyadh Metro on 27 November.

The network spans 176 kilometres across six lines and 85 stations. Four of the stations are iconic stations designed by signature architects.

The metro is part of the Riyadh Public Transport Project, which includes the metro and bus systems. The project aims to relieve traffic congestion. Currently, 90% of trips within the Saudi capital rely on cars.

The $23bn project was scheduled to open six years ago, in 2018, but construction activity on the project slowed in recent years due to disputes over prolongation and the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Arriyadh Development Authority, now the Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC), awarded the main construction packages for the scheme on 28 July 2013.

Completion works

In November 2022, MEED reported that the three contracting consortiums working on the Riyadh Metro scheme had struck deals with the RCRC regarding the completion of the works.

The development was divided into five major design-and-build packages, with lines one and two as a combined package, and the other lines as single packages. Each package also includes the supply of rolling stock.

Spanish firm FCC heads up the consortium known as Fast, while US firm Bechtel leads the BACS consortium. Italian firm Ansaldo STS is the leader of the Arriyadh New Mobility group.

The Fast consortium won lines four, five and six, which are reported to be valued at $7.82bn. The BACS consortium picked up lines one and two for $9.45bn, while Arriyadh New Mobility secured line three for $5.21bn.

More lines

There are plans to expand the metro network. In September, MEED reported that the RCRC was preparing to award the contract for the Riyadh Metro Line 2 extension. 

The Line 2 extension is 8.4 kilometres (km), of which 1.3km is elevated and 7.1km is underground. It includes five stations – two elevated and three underground.

It will run from where Line 2 currently ends at King Saud University (KSU) and then travel onward to new stations, namely KSU Medical City, KSU West, Diriyah East, Diriyah Central (where it interchanges with the planned Line 7), and then finally to Diriyah South.

Also in September, the RCRC issued the request for proposal notice to selected firms to design and build Line 7 of the Riyadh Metro project.

The RCRC has given consortiums six months to prepare the bids. The submission deadline is 10 March 2025.

According to sources close to the project, the consortiums planning to bid for the project include:

• Alstom (France) / FCC (Spain) / Freysinnet Contracting (local) / WeBuild (Italy) / Nesma (local) 
• Siemens (Germany) / Samsung C+T (South Korea) / Acciona (Spain) / Alayuni (local)
• Hitachi Rail (Japan) / OHLA (Spain) / Daewoo (South Korea) / Hyundai E&C (South Korea) / Almabani (local) / Albawani (local)
• CRRC (China) / Mapa (Turkiye) / Limak (Turkiye)

Spanish consulting firms Typsa and Ayesa, along with US-based Aecom, are the design consultants for the Alstom-led consortium.

Spain-headquartered Idom, South Korea’s Dowha and Switzerland’s Pini are the designers for the Siemens-led team.

Spanish engineering firm Sener is the design consultant for the Hitachi Rail-led group.

The project involves constructing a metro line linking Qiddiya Entertainment City, King Abdullah International Gardens, King Salman Park, Misk City and Diriyah Gate. The total length of the line will be about 65km, of which 47km will be underground and 19km will be elevated.

The line will have 19 stations, 14 of which will be built underground and five overground. 

The consultants working on the scheme are France’s Egis and Lebanon-based Dar Al-Handasah, according to regional projects tracker MEED Projects.

In June 2020, a joint venture led by French consultancy Systra won the preliminary design contract for the second phase of Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Metro.