By Jennifer Bell, Al Arabiya English
Saudi Arabia’s capital marked a historic milestone this month with the launch of its first metro system – and it is already proving to be an instant success with 1.9 million passengers utilizing the transport link in the first week of operations.
Riyadh Metro, which began operations on December 1, is a multi-billion-dollar project featureing six color-coded lines spanning 176 kilometers with 85 stations, and has 183 trains manufactured by industry leaders Siemens, Bombardier, and Alstom, establishing itself as the world’s longest driverless metro network.
The metro is designed to carry 1.2 million passengers daily, with plans to scale up to 3.6 million, helping to ease traffic jams and reduce reliance on cars.
On social networking site X, Riyadh Metro said of the 1.9 million passengers who hopped aboard in the first week, the Purple Line has proved to be the most popular so far.
The Riyadh Metro transport network aims to keep up with Riyadh’s growing population, which is expected to reach 15 to 20 million by 2030, from 7.5 million last year. The transport link represents a huge pillar of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which aims to diversify the economy and improve quality of life for residents.
The Riyadh Metro is set to open in three phases. Among the first to partially launch are the Blue Line, spanning 38 kilometers (24 miles), along with the Yellow and Purple Lines, running north to south through Downtown Riyadh. The Red and Green Lines are expected to commence operations by December 15, while the Orange Line is planned to open by January 5. More
