Saudi Arabia’s Al-Madinah Region Development Authority (MDA), through the National Centre for Privatisation & PPP, has received bids for a contract to develop and operate a bus rapid transit (BRT) network in Medina.

MEED understands that all international bus network operators prequalified to bid for the contract, among others, submitted proposals on 24 November. 

The project scope involves financing, procuring and delivering depots, rolling stock and intelligent transportation systems (ITS). It also covers the bus fleet’s operation and maintenance and fare collection.

MEED reported in February this year that NCP had issued the tender for the Medina BRT project, which will be implemented using a public-private partnership (PPP) framework.

MDA qualified three consortiums and seven individual companies to bid for the project. The qualified bidders include:

• Transdev (France) / Nesma (local)
• Arail (local) / ATM (Italy)
• Alsa (Spain) / National Express (UK)
• Moventia (Spain)
• Saptco (local)
• ST Engineering 
• Hafil (local)
• Al-Bawani (local)
• Keolis (France)
• Petromin (local)

Forty-three companies expressed interest in the contract to develop the BRT project in July 2023.

The planned Medina BRT comprises three corridors with a total length of 64.6 kilometres (km), as well as a feeder bus network.

The project has an estimated capacity of 1,800 passengers an hour.

The first route, which will stretch 16.2km from Ohud to Quba Mosque, will have 12 stops and two park-and-ride facilities.

The second and main route will be 38km long. It will start from Medina’s Prince Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz International airport, pass the Prophet’s Mosque and terminate at Miqat Mosque. The route will have 24 stations and three park-and-ride bus stops.

The third corridor starts from the eastern terminus on Al-Qassim Road and runs to Prince Abdul Majeed Mosque. It is 10.4km long, with 10 stations and a park-and-ride facility.

The project will be developed on a design, build, finance, operate and maintain basis.

A consortium of French engineering firms Egis and Systra will provide project consultancy services for the Medina BRT project. 

Pioneering transport PPP

Based on the plan, the private sector will be responsible for financing, designing and building the depots; financing and procuring the rolling stock or bus fleet and the ITS; and delivering the operations and maintenance for the BRT lines.

Representing the public sector, MDA will execute and deliver the civil works on the project, including the bus lanes, tunnels, bridges and viaducts.

MDA appointed a team of UK-based Deloitte, the US/Saudi HDR Middle East and the local Abdul Rahman Fahad Al-Khaili as transaction advisers for the project in 2021.