Riyadh metro celebrated its first year of operation on December 1 last year, and the city is now moving forward with planned expansion towards the fast-growing western suburbs, along with high speed rail links to satellite towns.
Benjámin Zelki investigates.
The 166·5 km six-line automated metro network in the Saudi capital reached its first anniversary of operation on December 1, but it is already clear that the city is not planning to stop here.
On January 12, the Royal Commission for Riyadh City awarded a US$2·75bn design and build contract for an 8·4 km extension of the Red Line, running west from King Saud University to the Diriyah Gate development area. This has been awarded to a consortium led by Italy’s Webuild with a 30·1% stake; the other partners include India’s Larsen & Toubro, Alstom and Saudi contractor Nesma.
RCRC has let contracts to build an 8·4 km extension of the Red Line, running west from King Saud University.
The Line 2 extension will add 1·3 km on viaduct and 7·1 km in bored tunnel; three of the five stations will be underground. There will be three in the Diriyah development zone, including one being planned as an interchange with the future Line 7. The project is scheduled for completion in approximately six years.
Line 7 tendering
RCRC has also called tenders for the design and construction of the city’s seventh metro line.
The 65 km first phase of Line 7 is intended to link King Khalid International Airport in the north to Qiddiya Entertainment City in the west, via the new Murabba district.
Click on image for full-size map.
Currently being developed by Qiddiya Investment Co, Qiddiya City is envisaged as a ‘futuristic city comprising a mix of high-energy entertainment attractions, sports complexes, cultural landmarks and residential neighbourhoods’. Located 45 km from central Riyadh and 70 km from the airport, it is being designed to accommodate an anticipated population of around 500 000 inhabitants.
Line 7 would have 19 stations, including the interchange with the Red Line extension at Diriyah Gate and another with Line 3 in the southwest of the capital.
Alstom confirmed to Railway Gazette International on February 5 that it submitted an offer for the design and construction of Riyadh metro Line 7.
According to local media reports, the following consortia submitted bids:
- Alstom, Webuild, Nesma;
- Siemens, FCC, Freyssinet Contracting, Almabani;
- Hitachi Rail, Larsen & Toubro, the local Albawani and Turkey’s – Kalyon Inşaat and Cengiz;
- CRRC together with Turkey’s Mapa and Limak.
The remaining suppliers did not comment.
The original deadline for submitting bids for Line 7 was March 2025, but it has since been postponed several times, most recently in December 2025. More
