Riyadh’s 176km new metro opened in January 2025. The network spans six lines and 85 stations, taking the title of the world’s longest driverless transit system.
On 1 December 2024, Riyadh began phased operations of the metro network. The entire system became fully operational on 5 January 2025, with the final line, the Orange Line, joining the network.King Abdullah Financial District metro station
The project is part of a broader strategy by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC) to increase public transport usage in a car-dominated city. Riyadh’s population of over 6.5m is projected to reach 8.3m by 2030. Until recently, just 2% of trips were made using public transport. The new metro is designed to shift that figure to 20%.
Six lines, 85 stations
The Riyadh Metro comprises six colour-coded lines – Blue, Red, Orange, Yellow, Green and Purple – linking key residential, commercial and governmental districts. Four major interchange hubs connect the system.
The network runs 183 driverless electric trains, with CBTC signalling and full platform screen doors throughout. The system is expected to eventually handle up to 3.6m passengers per day.
The most recent milestone was the opening of two new stations – Railway and Jarir District – on the Orange Line in April 2025.Qasr Al Hokm station
Construction and contractors
Construction began in 2014 and was split across three international consortiums: BACS consortium (Bechtel, Almabani, CCC, Siemens Mobility) handled Lines 1 & 2 FAST consortium (FCC, Samsung C&T, Alstom, Strukton, Atkins, Typsa, Setec) built Lines 4, 5 & 6 ArRiyadh New Mobility consortium (Hitachi, Alstom, Webuild, L&T, Nesma) delivered Line 3
In total, 40% of the system runs underground, with the rest elevated or at-grade. Line 5, the Green Line, is entirely underground.
Operations and impact
The metro is operated under two 12-year contracts. RATP Dev and the Saudi Public Transport Company manage Lines 1 and 2. Lines 3 to 6 are operated by a consortium of FS (Italy), Alstom, and Hitachi.
Within its first 75 days of operation, the metro saw over 18m passengers, completing more than 162,000 journeys across 4.5 million kilometres. Tickets can be purchased via the Darb app or at station kiosks.
The network is part of Riyadh’s wider Public Transport Project, which also includes a revamped bus system and a planned monorail within the King Abdullah Financial District. The city aims to reduce congestion, improve air quality and offer an alternative to driving.
What’s next
With its full launch now complete, the Riyadh Metro stands as the largest metro system in the Middle East and the world’s longest driverless metro. It is a crucial part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 plan, and signals a shift from vehicle dependence towards interconnected infrastructure. In a sense, a transition from the American model to the Eurasian model. More
